Is Josh Hart playing tonight against Cavaliers? Latest injury report on Knicks' star ahead of matchup (April 18, 2023)
Josh Hart has established himself as a valuable role player for the New York Knicks since being traded there midseason. The Villanova product is known for his ability to do the little things and plays a winning brand of basketball.
Unfortunately, the Knicks will likely be without Hart tonight as he is listed as doubtful ahead of the Game 2 matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers. New York picked up an impressive 101-97 victory in the opening matchup to take a 1-0 series lead. Hart ended with 17 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 8-11 from the field in the victory.
“Josh Hart is doubtful for tonight… That’s a key piece to this team”
@ShamsCharania with the latest on Josh Hart’s ankle injury ☹️
#RunItBack #NewYorkForever https://t.co/uikLdBMrTX
Josh Hart's Injury Status
This is a storyline to continue to watch as Josh Hart sustained a sprained ankle in Game 1. After going up to grab a rebound off a missed shot from Donovan Mitchell, Hart landed on Julius Randle's foot and rolled his ankle pretty severely. Hart was in a great deal of pain but managed to stay in the game despite being unable to move the same way.
Hart landed in New York this season in the deal that sent out Cam Reddish and had four teams involved overall. The six-year NBA veteran is a jack-of-all-trades who can provide a spark to any roster.
In his 25 games with the Knicks in the regular season, Hart has averaged 10.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. He also has shot an impressive 58.6% from the floor and connected on 51.9% of his three-point attempts during this time. While this may be an unsustainable rate that will settle down when more games are played, his impact has been immense.
Getting the victory is a huge statement for the Knicks. They will now attempt to take a 2-0 lead on the Cavaliers' home court without Hart on the floor. Cleveland is favored by 5.5 points in the matchup.
In his absence, expect the Knicks to rely on Immanuel Quickley and Quentin Grimes to be given extended time. There also could be a chance for Evan Fournier to receive an opportunity after not seeing the floor in Game 1.
The Knicks will hope it is a speedy recovery for Josh Hart and that he is able to return to the court ahead of their Game 3 matchup on Friday when the series travels home to New York.