The Knicks capably withstood injury absences to other players this season, but Josh Hart showed how valuable he was to the team when it was forced to play without him over the past eight games, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post.
Hart, who is questionable to return to action on Sunday at Portland, has been recovering from a right ankle sprain he sustained on December 25. In addition to Hart’s defense, rebounding, pace of play and secondary ball-handling, the Knicks have also missed the 30-year-old wing’s ability to get into the paint and make plays.
“He’s the heart and soul of the team from an energy perspective,” Miles McBride said. “I bring a lot of energy, we got a lot of guys that do. But he’s been doing it for so long and we’ve all been able to use him as the nucleus.”
Here’s more from New York:
- Will Hart’s imminent return be enough to switch the team’s downward momentum? Steve Popper of Newsday (subscriber link) explores that question, writing that the Knicks have certainly missed Hart’s physicality in dropping five of their past six games. One way or another, they’ll have to improve their toughness for the playoffs, according to Popper, and they have less than four weeks to decide what moves to make ahead of the February 5 trade deadline.
- Veteran wing Landry Shamet, who is on the mend from a right shoulder injury, has been cleared for contact work and has already been taking controlled contact, head coach Mike Brown said on Saturday (Twitter link via Bondy). Shamet will be out again Sunday, but the update is a positive sign that his return isn’t far off.
- Big man Karl-Anthony Towns continues to produce inconsistent offensive results in his first season playing in Brown’s system, notes Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News. The five-time All-Star only attempted 11 shots in Friday’s loss in Phoenix two games after putting up just four shots in a blowout loss at Detroit. Towns’ numbers are down across the board and the Knicks need more from their highest-paid player, says Winfield.
Towns is soft at times by my standards. Never have been a big fan. You watch him closely. When he is struggling or having a bad game. And that happens to all of us. He chks out and does silly, dumb things. Instead of playing to win. And helping anyway you can. He is not Ewing …….. Towns needs backup on defense. Now !!!!
I have been saying this for over a year. If you are going with Towns. Then you have to trade Mitch. Add a big 4 who can watch Towns back on D (like a Reid 18-22 mins). This makes the team better and deeper. Hart is the sixth man. Can start against small ball. And can still avg 30 mins a game.
Move Yabusele it’s not working.
Players that can be moved at TD Mitch, Kolek, Diadet, McCullar, Picks, Yabusele, Shamet.
This is suppose to be a Finals or bust year. Knicks have to address Towns liabilities and the bench.
Isaac, Wolf, Looney ……….
KAT is the Knicks Trae… They need to trade him to have a chance in the post season…
He’s not easy to move. At this point we are all in.
Best to back his play.
Oh he’s not easy to move for a reason…
But there is a ceiling… Mitch needs to be a cheaper and better Gobert for it to work with KAT…
Never will work with KAT imo. We can’t afford to keep Mitch. It’s time to move on. Knicks have to be all in on Towns. You do know Knicks are favored to win the East right.
But it is the East without Boston and Indiana fully healthy…
Which was already weak as last year…
Wolf ain’t going nowhere under Jordi’s watch. Take Claxton Plz ty
I like Claxton. Too expensive for Knicks. Claxton won’t be a problem moving lol.
Mitch/Pacome (15.80 mil) for Looney/Bey (14.11 mil)
Yabusele (5.5 mil) for Drummond (5 mil)
These 2 trades give u a new front court off the bench
Losing Mitch would be a massive downgrade, lmao.
He plays 16 mins. Hukporti can play 16 mins backup. And Looney makes the team better with Towns on the floor. Mitch and Towns doesn’t work. The NBA goes small more and more every yr. Mitch can start for a team that needs a rim protector. Like Quickley Knicks aren’t paying Mitch. They will trade him or lose him.
Mitch plays 19 minutes a game, and since mid-December, he’s averaged almost 22 minutes a game. This will also ramp up late in the season as the games become more important.
Also to think Hukporti can replace Mitch is absolutely brain-dead. I like Hukporti but Mitch is so much better at defense and rebounding it isn’t funny.
And please show your work on “Mitch and Towns doesn’t work” because statistically, some of the best Knicks lineups have both of them on the floor. Imagine replacing a top defender and maybe the best offensive rebounder in the game with Hukporti and a certified bum like Looney and thinking that’s a good move.
Mitch has played 27 gms out of 39. He avg 19.4 mins. I am not a Towns and Mitch guy. And Thibs nor Brown have yet to commit to that combo yet. 19 mins is backup mins.
Especially in todays game. Where teams go smaller more. And the tempo is faster. The perimeter D is what you need more. Something that has been lacking with Knicks. Mitch can start if you have a Sabonis next to him. A healthy AD. A JJJ. A Banchero. Not Towns cause he is not a 4. With Mitch in Towns gets killed on perimeter. With Mitch in his rebounding goes down. They don’t work. Then there is the fact he is due a new deal. Best move for this team. Is to move Mitch and help Towns on D.
Looney, Wolf, Isaac, Reid, Portis someone like that.
Towns plays 34 mins. Hukporti can handle 18 mins backup. Thibs was already grooming him. He can give you rebounds and rim protection.
I would take Bey and Looney for Mitch today.
The Knicks will not trade Mitch unless they receive a superstar player back, possibly in a three-team trade, in return for an all-star caliber big man.
Mitch and his agent are on record. Are asking for 20-25 mill a yr. Who do you think is controlling his gm management situation. He’s gone at TD.
Knicks need to trade KAT to be anything more than a post season foot note…
Yabusele, Dadiet, Diawara, and James Nnaji draft rights for a starting defensive PF and a SG