It will be a period of adjusting for New York Knicks guard Josh Hart. After missing the final four preseason games, he made his return against the Boston Celtics on Friday, and his minutes restriction was lifted for Sunday’s game against the Miami Heat.
Knicks’ Josh Hart acknowledges slow start
However, he has struggled offensively in both games. He is just 3-for-13 from the field and 0-for-5 from three-point range in the two games combined, and he hasn’t looked as confident as he used to be offensively.
Hart discussed his struggles following the Knicks’ loss to the Heat on Sunday, and he admitted that he feels like he is a step behind.
“I think, honestly, just for me, it’s more so trying to get my wind,” Hart said, via Jared Schwartz of the New York Post. “Today was a tough one in terms of energy and stuff like that. Obviously being down [Miles McBride] hurt us in terms of, that’s a guy that can knock down shots, pick the ball up and push the pace. So on a day like this, where I don’t have it and I’m still trying to get my legs in, someone like that is perfect for me to be like, ‘You know what? Go get me. Deuce you get in.’”
Hart is dealing with a couple of injuries to begin the new season for the Knicks. The injury that kept him out of most of the preseason was a back injury he suffered in the preseason opener, and the team chose to be cautious with him, given how valuable he is to the franchise.
Hart is playing through some ailments
The other injury is one that he suffered last season, which is still affecting him. Hart suffered a finger injury during last season’s playoffs and underwent a procedure over the summer, but he didn’t get the surgery to completely repair it.
Hart said that he plans to play through the injury, but if it continues to have an effect on his performance, surgery could be considered.
Hart is also playing catch-up in terms of adapting to the new system. With all those preseason games missed, he didn’t have the opportunity to learn the system in games, so it will take some time through the first few weeks of the season to fully adjust.
Hart will look to bounce back on Tuesday when he and the Knicks take on the Milwaukee Bucks at 8 PM EST.