Knicks Not Worried About Josh Hart Injury

Jalen Brunson is optimistic about his New York Knicks teammate's future.
Jan 17, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) reacts after falling to the floor in the third quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Jan 17, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) reacts after falling to the floor in the third quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
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Dr. Jalen Brunson offered a positive diagnosis for his New York Knicks teammate.

Knicks fans, already dealing with a few medical scares, were nearly dealt another nightmare on Friday night when Josh Hart was a victim of friendly fire: during third quarter action against the Minnesota Timberwolves, he made contact with Jericho Sims while going for a rebound while trying to box out Jaden McDaniels.

Hart fell to the Madison Square Garden hardwood grasping his shoulder and was later escorted to the Knicks' locker room by the medical staff but he returned to the floor before the period let out. In the midst of a tough 116-99 defeat, Brunson was at least willing to forge a silver lining, believing that Hart would be ready to go as the Knicks continue a lengthy defense of the Eastern Seaboard.

“I think he’ll be all right,” Brunson said in the aftermath, per Peter Botte of the New York Post. “[I’m] not too worried about him and his toughness. We’ll all be back and be ready to go."

The Knicks have seen the nightly injury reports get a little more crowded in recent weeks, particularly when it comes to their rebounding threats: Karl-Anthony Towns has missed the last two games after enduring a sprained thumb in Monday's loss to Detroit while Jericho Sims previously dealt with back spasms. New York was outrebounded by six on Friday as Towns missed out on his original NBA employers' visit.

Even with the relatively lighter workload, Hart managed to come one rebound short of a double-double, pairing the nine rebounds with 12 points. He has been one of the Knicks most consistent performers on the New York roster, averaging 14.2 points and 9.5 rebounds per game, both career-highs.

The Knicks (27-16) return to action on Monday for a holiday matinee against the Atlanta Hawks (3 p.m. ET, MSG). Clarity on Hart's status, as well as that of Towns, will emerge when the injury reports are released later on Sunday.

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Geoff Magliocchetti
GEOFF MAGLIOCCHETTI

Editor-In-Chief at All Knicks