Knicks to Open Season vs. Cavaliers Without Two Key Players

New York will reportedly enter a battle of Eastern Conference contenders undermanned.

Mitchell Robinson (left) and Josh Hart (right) will reportedly miss the Knicks' opener against the Cavaliers. / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The Knicks' bid for their first Eastern Conference title since 1999 begins Wednesday—but New York reportedly won't have a full complement of players for the start of the season.

Knicks guard Josh Hart and center Mitchell Robinson will both miss New York's opener against the Cavaliers Wednesday evening, according to a Tuesday afternoon report from Shams Charania of ESPN.

Hart, 30, is reportedly suffering from lumbar spasms, while the Knicks are said to be monitoring an ankle injury to Robinson, 27.

In 2025, Hart played in 77 games for New York, leading the league with 37.6 minutes per game. He averaged 13.6 points, 9.6 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game for the 51-31 Knicks.

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Robinson, on the other hand, played more games in the '25 postseason than in the regular season due to ankle surgery. He averaged 5.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game in the regular season before averaging 4.7 points and 7.1 rebounds in the playoffs.

After opening against Cleveland, New York will stay home for a rivalry showdown against the Celtics Friday before heading south to start a three-game road trip against the Heat.

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