Josh Hart’s role still looks different than last year.
He continues to fluctuate, with occasional starts, cameos at both wing and power forward, sporadic shooting and declining percentages.
Depending on what players the Knicks add around him, things could look different after the trade deadline.
But the Knicks will survive some time without Julius Randle, who dislocated his right shoulder in Saturday’s game against the Heat, and will play without OG Anunoby (elbow inflammation) for the second straight game, so they’re taking a little bit of everything from Hart. I needed it. They needed the type of player he developed over his seven NBA seasons.
The latest example unfolded during the Knicks’ 118-103 win over the Jazz on Tuesday, in which he recorded his first career triple-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
Hart made just 4 of 10 shots, including 0 of 3 from 3-point range, but admitted he’ll have to make a shot “at some point.”
But for a night, the milestone was “cool,” he said.
“I expect him to accomplish much more in his career,” Donte DiVincenzo said. “That doesn’t surprise me. I’m happy for him, but he’s not surprised. I’m not surprised. That’s what he does.”
Hart grabbed the final rebound with less than a minute left and threw a lob to Precious Achiuwa on the other side of the court for the final assist.
He’d come close a few times with an assist or a few points, but this time in the 43rd minute of the night, as fans chanted for Taj Gibson to be in — “I wanted Taj Gibson, too,” Hart joked. He put together everything he needed.
When Achiuwa was on the court, Hart guarded the smaller Jazz players, but at times he was required to serve as the Knicks’ power forward.
When asked again last week about being a power forward, Hart said, “Not really,” adding that he’s still a guard.
But that was two days before the Knicks’ plans for the position changed when Randle drove for a layup, collided with a Heat defender and immediately left for the locker room.
Jalen Brunson said of Hurts being a power forward that he “barks and doesn’t bite.”
The numbers may look different for Hart this season.
His playing time for the Knicks against the Jazz hasn’t been this low since the 2019-20 season, with Hart’s 7.3 points per game the lowest of his career.
But the Knicks may need a little bit of everything from Hurts to survive what’s next.
He sparked a transition sequence Tuesday that ended with DiVincenzo sinking a 3-pointer and added a fast-break layup on the next possession, allowing the Knicks to claw back from an early deficit to a two-point lead. did.
“He’s just a basketball player,” coach Tom Thibodeau said before the game. “So you can run the offense through him. He plays great defense, rebounds the ball, pushes the ball on the break and plays hard.
“And for those of us who are depressed, that’s what we have to do.”
