New York Knicks’ recently acquired guard Josh Hart made his highly-anticipated debut with the team Saturday against the Utah Jazz, and he did not disappoint one bit.
Playing approximately 25 minutes off the bench in the 126-120 victory against Utah, Hart finished with a fantastic all-around stat line, scoring 11 points, snagging seven rebounds, dishing four assists, swiping four steals, and hitting two three-pointers in the win.
“I’m a dog,” Hart said after the win Saturday. “I’ll do whatever it takes. That’s just me.”
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Josh Hart had a massive impact in Knicks’ win over Jazz:
New York acquired Hart this past Monday in a deal that saw the benched Cam Reddish head to the Portland Trail Blazers. Many fans felt good about the energy and effort that Hart brings to the table, and he brought exactly that Saturday.
Hart played with hard-nosed aggression and intensity defensively that put extra pressure on Utah’s high-powered offense. His physicality and agility were some of his most impressive attributes of his performance Saturday, as he seemed to be practically everywhere on the floor defensively.
Offensively, Hart helped push the pace by getting out in transition, which led to some huge buckets for the Knicks throughout the game.
That Villanova connection between Hart and Jalen Brunson was on full display Saturday, as they brought explosive and quick offense that helped accelerate the Knicks scoring.
Hart has had a down year shooting from outside the arc this season, as he is shooting just over 30% from downtown, but he shot the ball with high confidence Saturday, as he knocked down a couple of huge threes down the stretch that helped secure a big win for the Knicks.
Overall, Hart’s impact could be seen simply by just watching him on the court, as well as the standing ovation he received from the Madison Square Garden crowd after the game, signaling that he has won over many Knicks fans already.
It is clear that his efforts will continue to help bring more victories to this Knicks team and hopefully get them to the playoffs.
“He brought a lot of effort [and] toughness,” RJ Barrett said about Hart after Saturday’s game. “He had probably like three steals or something like that. He was all over the floor for us tonight and, you know, [he is] a great pickup.”
Hart will look to continue impress when him and the Knicks take on the new-look Brooklyn Nets at home Monday night.
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