Josh Hart Giving Knicks Under-Appreciated Skill

The New York Knicks pride themselves on being a physical basketball team, and no one represents that mindset better than Josh Hart.

Hart, 29, is averaging 14.2 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game for the Knicks this season, which has put him off to a very good start.

However, it’s the things not seen in a box score that make Hart valuable for the Knicks.

“He will always give that boost in effort. He has the strength and mobility to size up or down in defensive matchups, though playing alongside on-ball savants like Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby will allow Hart to fully embrace the chaos-driving help defense he’s long excelled at. He is reliable and resilient, a player whose charm and dependability has allowed Tom Thibodeau’s heart to grow three sizes. They are, after all, kindred sickos. Hart knows Thibs won’t pull him out of the game, and Thibs knows Hart doesn’t want to be pulled,” Danny Chau of The Ringer writes.

Hart is someone who can build the culture for the Knicks, and the team looks towards him as a leader in that department.

The Knicks may not be at their final destination at this point in the season, but the team’s effort is something that builds over the course of the year. They cannot be at their peak 15 games into the season because there are far more goals to accomplish.

As long as the Knicks see a trajectory of positive growth over the course of the team’s 82 games, that’s what matters. And Hart’s presence in guiding the Knicks through that will be key in the coming months.

Hart and the Knicks are back in action tomorrow night as they travel to Colorado to face Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. Tipoff is set for 9 p.m. ET.

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