It seems like Josh Hart had a refreshing night, and honestly, the whole Knicks bench needed this boost.
His late layup in the third quarter pushed the Knicks ahead by six, and the roar from Madison Square Garden was electric. Hart’s earlier road trip had clearly been frustrating for him, but this was the kind of performance he is known for.
During the game against the Bulls on Sunday night, Hart contributed 14 points from 5-of-10 shooting, along with nine rebounds and three assists, leading the Knicks to a 128-116 win.
Teaming up with Jordan Clarkson, they managed to outscore the Bulls bench 46-30, marking the best showing from the Knicks bench this season.
Hart reflected on his journey, stating, “I’ve faced my own share of challenges, both physically and mentally. The key for me today was to play with energy and joy, rather than letting frustration take over. I was just trying to be myself.” Jalen Brunson echoed this sentiment, saying, “This is the Josh we know and love.”
Despite his strong performance, Hart is still dealing with an injury to his shooting finger. He had initially hurt it during last year’s playoffs and underwent surgery in the offseason, but then re-injured it before training camp. He mentioned on Friday that he’s not considering more surgery at this point, even with his shaky start this season.
As of Sunday, he shared that there’s some nerve damage lingering in his fingers. “The nerves aren’t fully back to normal,” Hart explained. “There’s some tingling and numbness. I really hope they recover soon.” It’s a wait-and-see situation.
Before this game, Hart was averaging only 2.8 points and 1.5 turnovers, struggling to shoot just 21.2 percent overall and making only one out of ten three-point attempts, leaving him with the team’s worst shooting average.
Maybe this game will mark a turning point for him.
Mitchell Robinson, on the other hand, was managing a left ankle injury, but he started against the Bulls just days after making his season debut. Though he didn’t score, he managed five rebounds and two blocks in only 13 minutes. He did gingerly exit the game in the third quarter with a right ankle issue but returned quickly.
This game was the first of back-to-back matchups for the Knicks, as they’re set to face the Wizards on Monday. Robinson’s availability for that game will hint at how cautiously the team plans to handle his return.
Coach Mike Brown is taking a careful approach.
On another note, Josh Guidi notched his fourth triple-double at Madison Square Garden with 23 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists.
