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, per 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 ……….
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.
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.