After a worrisome preseason for New York Knicks forward Josh Hart in which he scored just two points across four games, he has put those worries to bed with two double-digit scoring performances to open the season, including a 20-point, 10-rebound outing against the Indiana Pacers on Friday.
Knicks’ Josh Hart brushed off concerns about his role
The lack of shot opportunities from Hart sparked big concerns from fans, especially when the veteran spoke out saying that he was feeling “lost” in his new role with the offense. Some discussions even suggested that Hart should be moved to the bench and Miles McBride be elevated to the starting five to give the second unit more depth in a number of areas.
However, Hart’s performance on Friday was reminiscent of what he provided during the playoffs last year. He was making plays on the boards and creating offense in transition while being a pest on the defensive side of the ball.
Hart downplayed the seriousness of his preseason comments after Friday’s win, which can almost certainly erase any true worries about his fit on this Knicks team:
“I was just having fun with y’all, man,” Hart said via The New York Post’s Andrew Crane. “I knew I was going to be solid. It was preseason. I have a good feel for everybody. I think we’re all really getting into a rhythm offensively and, more importantly, defensively — playing with each other, seeing where everyone likes the ball and those kind of things. I’m good.”
Brunson is not concerned about Hart
Hart’s fellow teammate Jalen Brunson chimed in as well, stating that the forward is someone he isn’t concerned about when it comes to him speaking out about his role. Brunson scored 26 points in Friday’s victory over the Pacers.
“He’s one person I don’t worry about at all. He just doesn’t know when to stop talking,” said Brunson.
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Hart found ways to score despite the new look of the starting five
The offseason additions of Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns brought an identity change for the Knicks, making it clear that those two along with Brunson were going to carry the bulk of the offensive responsibilities. Given that Hart is typically not as aggressive as a scorer as some of his other teammates, it was unclear where exactly he would find opportunities to score.
However, the Knicks found ways to get him involved offensively Friday night and it paid off tremendously. New York dominated the Pacers team which knocked them out of the playoffs last year. All five starters for the Knicks scored in double figures.
It was a more accurate picture of the ceiling this year’s team has compared to the dreadful opening night loss to the Boston Celtics. If Hart is getting himself involved offensively as much as he was Friday, the sky is the limit for New York offensively.
