Josh Hart of the New York Knicks delivered a big performance for the team on Tuesday, stepping up offensively with Jalen Brunson out due to right ankle injury management and a neck strain.
Hart scored 33 points in a win over the Indiana Pacers, shooting an efficient 12-of-13 from the field and a perfect 5-of-5 from beyond the arc.
According to Ian Begley of SNY.tv, Hart had been in a slump recently and there had been some calls to move him out of the starting lineup.
Still, head coach Mike Brown stuck with him, and Hart responded with his highest-scoring game as a Knick, while also adding seven rebounds, five assists, and two steals.
“I think the main thing … is him connecting the group. I’m not saying he is Andre Iguodala or his game is like Andre Iguodala’s, but there are a lot of similarities where you watch him … he’s really good in a lot of different areas,” Brown said on Tuesday. “But more importantly, he connects the group and having a guy like that, especially to start games, is huge.
“… He’s been fantastic giving us that energy, giving us the connectivity we needed with that starting group and then doing the little things. Offensive glass, pushing the pace, getting off in transition. He’s a switchable guy, he’s a physical guy and (he does) a lot of things that don’t necessarily show up in the stat sheet that … help with connectivity as well.”
Heading into the game, Hart had struggled from three-point range, making just 10-of-38 (26.3%) since the All-Star break, so his 5-of-5 performance marked a clear turnaround.
“I think I’m kind of in my head with a lot of stuff,” Hart said of his post-All-Star shooting. “So I just got to trust my work and go out there and shoot my shots.”
Knicks Notes: Hart, Bridges, McBride, Diawara, Clarkson https://t.co/Wgv11yTTZ0 pic.twitter.com/NYoKWPct3r
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) March 18, 2026
