Josh Hart Injury Updates, Everything to Know About Starter’s Status and Impact

New York Knicks guard Josh Hart missed his first meaningful minutes of the Eastern Conference Semifinals in a Game 6 loss.

May 14, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) looks back after a basket / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Editors’ note, May 19, 3:12 p.m. ET: This story has been updated to reflect updates on Josh Hart's injury status.

In a 116-103 loss to the Indiana Pacers that set up a crucial Game 7 back in Madison Square Garden on Sunday, ironman Josh Hart asked to be taken out of the contest due to abdomen pain. The New York Knicks wing left the game early, made his way back in, but then left again and was eventually ruled out for the remainder due to the ailment.

Josh Hart’s Injury Status for Game 7

As of now, there is no official word on whether or not Hart will play in Game 7, but his own teammates have dropped hints that suggest he is likely to play, noting that the importance of a win-or-go-home game and his hard-nosed mentality would mean it would take a lot to keep him out entirely. 

After the game, head coach Tom Thibodeau was noncommittal about him playing or not. 

UPDATE, May 19, 3:12 p.m. ET: Hart is expected to start Game 7.

UPDATE, May 18, 4:22 p.m. ET: Multiple reports, including Shams Charania of The Athletic and Ian Begley of SNY, have indicated Hart will be listed as questionable for Sunday's Game 7 with an abdominal strain and is still deciding on whether or not he can give it a go. This post will be updated with new information as it becomes available.

Josh Hart’s Extensive Workload

Hart, before Friday night’s Game 6, played an average of 40.4 minutes per game in the series against the Pacers. In the first two games, both of which the Knicks won, he played all 48 minutes, start-to-finish.

He played just 24 minutes in Game 4, but that was a 32-point Indiana blowout. 

Hart was asked about a week ago how he felt about his workload, to which he replied, “You got people getting up at 6 am doing 12-hour shifts. Those people are tired. For us, we're playing a game and obviously, we're fortunate enough to play a game like this. We've gotta keep that in perspective.”

In the regular season, Hart played 2,707 minutes, which ranked 11th in the NBA. He did not rank highly for minutes per game (33.4) but his availability, appearing in all but one game and starting in 42, was crucial for New York’s success this season. 

Hart and Donte DiVincenzo were the only two players to play more than 80 games, and Hart joined Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle, and OG Anunoby (acquired midseason) as the only players to average more than 30 minutes per game for New York. 

Hart’s ironman qualities have led to him appearing in even more extensive postseason minutes as rotations have shortened. Thibodeau also carries a reputation for running his starters for long minutes. Hart didn’t begin the season as a Knicks starter but became a regular part of that rotation in mid-January as injuries created an opportunity. 

Josh Hart’s Impact on Knicks’ Success This Postseason

Hart has been a meaningful piece of New York’s success this postseason. Of lineups that have played more than 10 minutes together across the NBA these playoffs, Hart is in on five of the top 20 in terms of net rating. 

Looking at three-man lineups, several of the Knicks’ best statistical combinations include Hart’s presence due to his ability to score, pass, defend and rebound. 

Individually, despite the perception that he is a hugely important piece of the Knicks' ability to win games, he has a negative individual net rating in the postseason. That may say more about his role as a catalyst for his teammates rather than an individual take-over kind of player. 

Hart’s impact goes well beyond just standard box score, though, he has recovered the most loose balls of anyone in the postseason, and contested over 200 3-pointers (ninth in the NBA).