Throughout the marathon NBA regular season, teams need different players to step up at times. For the New York Knicks, one of the guys who have answered the call recently is the versatile Josh Hart.
Whatever head coach Tom Thibodeau has asked of him, he has provided. Earlier in the season, he voiced his displeasure about having to play so many minutes at power forward. Hart, a natural shooting guard, wasn’t thrilled but kept getting the job done.
When the Knicks completed a trade with the Toronto Raptors, inserting OG Anunoby and Precious Achiuwa into the lineup, Hart shifted back to his more natural position on the wing. That lasted for a few weeks before injuries ravaged the roster.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Josh Hart & New York Knicks Updates
New York has spent more than a month without their starting forward duo, while injuries have also hampered the center spot. Undermanned and undersized, Hart has been playing every position for Thibodeau on a nightly basis.
It has led to a huge minutes load, but he has answered the call once again. Hart rarely comes out of games at this point, playing 40+ minutes in seven out of eight games. He has made the most of those minutes, making NBA history in his most recent two outings.
According to The Strickland on X, Hart became the first guard in NBA history to record 37+ rebounds and 6+ made 3-pointers in a two-game stretch. The only players to accomplish that feat are Nikola Vucevic, Shawn Marion, Karl-Anthony Towns, DeMarcus Cousins and Kevin Love.
All of those players are at least 6’7” and listed as power forwards or centers. Hart is 6’4” but has the toughness and strength to more than hold his own in the paint. It would not be a stretch to say that he is one of the best rebounding guards the NBA has ever seen.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Josh Hart & New York Knicks Updates
Against the Golden State Warriors in Game 1 of this stretch, Hart scored 14 points with 18 rebounds, seven assists and two steals in 47:10. On Sunday against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Hart recorded the third triple-double of his NBA career.
He scored 13 points with a career-high 19 rebounds and 10 assists, adding two steals and two blocks. Hart is one of the players who have kept the team from bottoming out given all of their injuries and will be relied upon heavily until his teammates are healthy enough to return.
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