Three key Knicks, particularly Josh Hart, struggling as regular season approaches
Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns follows through on a shot during warm-ups before an NBA preseason basketball game against the Washington Wizards Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, in Washington. Credit: AP/John McDonnell
WASHINGTON — In the final test of the preseason on Friday night, the Knicks were not going to have their starters and stars in street clothes like the last preseason game. So the newly minted starting five took the floor, even if it was the Washington Wizards across from them in a game that didn’t count rather than the defending champion Boston Celtics, who await them in the season opener on Tuesday night — with a ring ceremony as a reminder of the levels the Knicks still need to reach.
The unbeaten preseason came to an end with a 118-117 loss. The Knicks already have traveled a long distance in the last three weeks since trading for Karl-Anthony Towns just days ahead of training camp, spending time in these preseason games and practice sessions to build a cohesion for a newly assembled cast. But ready for prime time?
With the champs looming, there still are questions. Towns and Mikal Bridges have struggled with their shot. Precious Achiuwa limped off in the fourth quarter and the Knicks had no update afterward. And Josh Hart sounded as if maybe opening night is arriving too soon.
“I’m lost. I have no idea,” he said. “There’s a couple days we have until Boston. So whether that’s trying to get a rhythm with that starting unit or we give somebody else a look and my role changes and comes off the bench and go with that unit. So just trying to figure out right now; I pretty much have no idea. But we’ll see what happens in Boston.’’
Hart scored his first points of the preseason — a layup in the first quarter — and had two points and seven shots attempted in four games. It would seem odd to make a lineup change, but he seemed uncertain how to find his role, even if he is content to be a facilitator and rebounder.
“[Jalen Brunson] and KAT’s our engine,” he said. “I feel like we played pretty well this preseason. So I’m cool with that. I just think we can just figure out a way where we can be our best selves or whatever — roles or minutes.”
Bridges talked about working on tweaking his jump shot — a process he said has been continuous since he left Villanova seven years ago. But the Knicks seemed unconcerned about preseason shooting woes by Bridges and Towns from three-point range.
“Sometimes you’re going to make, sometimes you’re going to miss,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “Just take the right ones.”
“Get them out now,” said Bridges, who missed all 10 of his three-point attempts Friday. “Get the misses out now. And get ready for the 82-game season.”
The biggest piece to fit in is Towns, who could not even practice with the team at the start of camp until the deal was officially completed. “I just expect us to keep growing,” he said. “You know, take more steps towards the team we want to be. And I think every game has been something we haven’t looked at as anything else but a real game to us. For every game we treat serious, and I think that we’ve done a great job building.”
Notes & quotes: Landry Shamet was not with the Knicks on the road, but they finally announced that he has been diagnosed with a dislocated right shoulder and will be reevaluated at a later date. The vague wording still leaves his roster status uncertain, but if he requires surgery, it would seem he’s a long shot to make the team because of the salary cap restrictions of avoiding the second apron. “He’s still gathering information on what the next steps are,” Thibodeau said. “Obviously, we feel very strongly about him and what he did, so whatever it is, whatever’s in front of you, if you’re dealing with an injury, lock into that, focus on the rehab, get yourself ready to go again. I don’t know what all the information is. I’m basing it on what I have at this time. It’s a dislocated shoulder, he’s still gathering information. We’re just going from there. He’s already attacking his rehab. I like that. He needs more information as well. Go step by step. Take each day, look for the improvement in the day, and whoever the next man is, get in there and get the job done.”
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.
