Josh Hart has been integral to the New York Knicks this season. With his incredible work ethic and consistent presence on the hardwood, the forward has become the only player in the league to achieve Iron Man status.
During his latest appearance for the Knicks on Friday, Hart completed 2278 minutes on the court since Jan. 1, which is the most by any NBA player. He is also the player with the most minutes played in the playoffs this season, with 480 minutes.
“Our jobs is to play basketball…You got people getting up at 6 AM, doing 12-hour shifts. Those guys are tired. For us, we’re playing the game. Obviously, we’re fortunate enough to play a game like this but we have to keep that in perspective…So, we gotta make sure we’re full of energy and lively every time we step on the court,” said Hart, a few days ago when he was asked about his unreal shift on the court. His sentiment about doing what he loves without fatigue later received support from fellow NBA star, Kyrie Irving as well, showing the respect the 29-year-old earned with his tireless shifts.
All the rigors of the season finally caught up with Hart in game 6 against the Pacers and ended his remarkable string of minutes on the court.
Josh Hart Picks Up Injury in Game 6
During game 6 against the Pacers at Bainbridge Fieldhouse, Josh Hart was seen in visible discomfort multiple times. The former Villanova guard was seen clutching his midsection and was subsequently taken out of the game in the fourth quarter.
Hart’s absence proved costly for the Knicks as the home team held onto their lead to win 116-103 to level the series. Hart didn’t return for the rest of the game due to abdominal soreness and ended the game with a 5-8-3 stat line.
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Following the game, Jalen Brunson looked optimistic about his roommate’s chances of making it to game 7. “I would assume he’s playing, it’s Game 7,” said the Knicks guard. HC Tom Thibodeau was asked about an update on Hart and his response was, “He’s a tough guy. He’ll get through it.”
Josh Hart joined Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson, Bojan Bogdanovic, and OG Anunoby on the injury list to compound the Knicks’ misery. The series finale will be played on Sunday, and the NY fans will keep their fingers crossed that their “tough guy” will be back on the hardboard.
