New York Knicks guard Josh Hart is having a season that many could not have envisioned following the preseason. Coming into the regular season, there were many questions surrounding his fit on the team with Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns added over the summer.
Josh Hart has been a high-impact player for the Knicks this season
Now, it seems like Hart has figured out his role and is making huge contributions to the Knicks in the early part of the season. Wednesday night against the Phoenix Suns, Hart recorded a double-double with 19 points and a team-high 11 rebounds. He also added six assists and three steals to his tally and shot 8-for-11 from the floor and 2-for-3 from three.
That performance perfectly sums up the impact he has provided this season, as he has given the Knicks a bit of everything on the floor. He now has recorded at least a double-double six times this season and is averaging 14.1 points, 9.0 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 1.1 steals per game this season.
His start to the season is incredibly encouraging given the very quiet preseason he has in which he scored just two points across four exhibition games. Hart is giving the Knicks the same impact he provided in the playoffs for them last year, where he averaged 14.5 points and 11.5 rebounds in 13 playoff games.
Hart’s impact has translated into winning for the Knicks
That impact has led to winning results for the Knicks, as he is a crucial component of the lethal offense they have had this season. New York ranks eighth in assists per game as a team with 27.7, compared to last season in which they ranked 29th in assists with 24.4. The Knicks are also one of the most efficient teams in the league, with their 50.5% field goal percentage ranking behind only the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Hart’s quick decision-making and hustle create clean looks for those around him, and his tenacity on the interior gives them much-needed rebounding with Precious Achiuwa and Mitchell Robinson still out with injuries.
Before the season, Hart appeared to be an afterthought on a Knicks team with title aspirations. Now, he is one of their most important pieces and is playing the best basketball he has ever played in his eight-year NBA career.