Josh Hart Shines in Knicks’ Victory Over Bucks

So much for Mike Brown’s plan to ease Josh Hart into the rotation.

Hart was used to a significant role under the previous coach, Tom Thibodeau, and he certainly made a strong case for more minutes with a standout performance: 19 points, 15 rebounds, and seven assists in a season-high 40 minutes during the Knicks’ 118-109 victory against the Bucks at Madison Square Garden. He finished the game with the best plus-minus on the team at plus-15.

“Josh is a ball player,” Brown remarked. “He just hits the ball, regardless of the challenge in front of him. That’s what you appreciate about him. He adapts to any role. Whether coming off the bench or starting, he shows he can contribute. Right now, he’s playing at a high level.”

Brown’s original strategy for Hart was meant to be one of the notable shifts this season. Last year, Hart started all 77 regular-season games under Thibodeau.

However, Brown openly stated his intention to bring Hart off the bench for a while.

Hart is full of energy, and it seems Brown saw a benefit in managing his minutes to lighten the load, hoping to stabilize Hart’s style of play. In the first part of the season, Hart averaged just 26.0 minutes a game, a significant drop from his impressive 37.6 minutes last year.

But, of course, injury issues to players like OG Anunoby and Landry Shamet forced Brown to rethink his plans. Hart ended up starting three consecutive games, playing over 33 minutes each time.

In the fourth quarter, Hart played a crucial role as a playmaker, especially when Jalen Brunson used aggressive double-teaming against him.

“I love it,” Hart said about that position. “It’s pretty comfortable for me. I tend to get good looks when I’m in those situations.”

Meanwhile, Mitchell Robinson came off the bench for the second game in a row, which is somewhat unusual for him this season. He contributed six points and seven rebounds, particularly shining in the second quarter when the Knicks built an 11-point lead.

“I like what I’ve seen so far. Mitch gave us a great punch off the bench,” Brown commented. “His offensive rebounding, whether against starters or reserves, is huge for us. He just needs to keep it up. It gives us different dynamics in the starting lineup.”

Unfortunately, the Knicks’ defense against the three-point shot struggled once again, allowing the Bucks to shoot 44 percent (18 of 41) from beyond the arc.