Josh Hart Rediscovering His Game
Not too long ago, Josh Hart seemed a bit off, particularly with his shooting.
During the Knicks’ loss to the Bulls on October 31, he was visibly upset and later shared that he had been dealing with nerve damage in his shooting hand. He noted that he made some of the most significant adjustments under head coach Mike Brown, which has clearly paid off. His irritation had been evident during that time.
But now, it feels like he’s turned a corner.
In a recent game, Hart shone brightly during a 137-114 victory over the Timberwolves at The Garden, scoring a season-high of 18 points, along with five rebounds and four assists.
His shooting was particularly encouraging. He hit 7-out-of-12 attempts and was an impressive 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. And it wasn’t just catch-and-shoot; he managed to make two pull-up shots off the dribble.
Hart partnered with Deuce McBride to create a dynamic bench duo, with McBride contributing 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting.
“I have to give Deuce a lot of credit,” Brown commented. “He played aggressively but smart. Even when they pressed, he managed to stay composed. He got into the paint and made some smart plays. Josh also helped us ramp up the pace and play the right way.”
Enhanced productivity from the bench has been a significant focus for Brown.
The Knicks’ bench completely outperformed the Timberwolves’ reserves, scoring 53-26—a feat not seen frequently under Tom Thibodeau.
In previous seasons, the highest point total for the Knicks’ bench was 52, while they only surpassed 40 points four times throughout the entire year.
This season, Brown’s bench has already hit 40 points in two of the last three games.
Apart from Hart and McBride, other contributors included Jordan Clarkson with seven points, Gershon Yabusele with five, Ariel Hukpolti with four, Landry Shamet contributing three, and Mohamed Diawara adding two.
Interestingly, Tyler Kolek seems to have slipped out of the rotation lately. He started off the season getting some run to prove he could handle the backup point guard position, but his playing time has dwindled, and he was only seen during garbage time in the last two games. It appears that Brown is trusting Hart and McBride more with most of the second unit’s ball-handling responsibilities.
