Knicks' Josh Hart has strong game against Celtics after return from injury
Knicks' Josh Hart (3) shoots against Boston Celtics' Al Horford (42) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, in Boston. Credit: AP/Michael Dwyer
BOSTON — Josh Hart was getting ready to face the Celtics on Sunday afternoon after flying here to join the Knicks. While discussing the knee problem that had kept him out of action the previous two games, he was asked what he saw from the team in its blowout loss on Friday night in Cleveland.
“I saw us get our butt kicked and it was extremely embarrassing,” Hart said. “We’ve got to make sure we don’t let that happen again.”
Hart did his part Sunday, showing no ill effects of the knee injury as he contributed 20 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists in 40 minutes in the Knicks’ 118-105 loss.
“Yeah, really good energy,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “You know, his typical type of game. They were playing their fives on him. I thought his activity was great. Running into pick-and-rolls, generating advantages. He got into the pocket some. We were able to get points in the paint off that. So I like the way he played a lot.”
The Knicks liked the fact that Hart played at all. He was listed on the injury report numerous times before the All-Star break but always managed to get through it and join the team on the floor. But after the break, he wasn’t able to play through the injury and sat out the first two games against Chicago and Cleveland before flying from New York to Boston and returning to action Sunday.
The Knicks have called the injury patellofemoral syndrome in the right knee, also known as runner’s knee. Hart just described it as soreness. But he was vague on what sort of testing or procedures he underwent to get back into the lineup.
“I relaxed,” he said. “That’s my answer. I had a nice time to relax, to physically and mentally unwind. Now it’s back to the regularly scheduled program.
“It’s stuff I consistently do, do my weight room, my court work, pray, meditate. That’s all I can do. That’s all. Nothing changes, I guess I’ll say. I just felt that a couple more days of rest obviously would benefit my knee. So that’s something that we all came to an agreement on. Like I said, now it’s back to the regular.”
Hart has had issues with this knee dating to his days with the Lakers, when he received PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injections at the All-Star break and underwent a surgical procedure after the season to clean up the knee. He said he had an even worse issue while with New Orleans and playing in the bubble.
“It’s something that comes and goes, something that I’ve managed for so long,” Hart said. “One time I was in the bubble in New Orleans, I would play and the next day, really, I couldn’t even get to halfcourt. It was a pain. It was a struggle for me to even jog to halfcourt, and now I’m playing 48 minutes for Tom Thibodeau. So there’s peaks and valleys with it. Not really worried about it.”
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
