The New York Knicks will be getting Josh Hart back in the lineup against the Boston Celtics after he was upgraded from questionable to probable. Hart has been sidelined since the team’s first preseason game against the Philadelphia 76ers in Abu Dhabi on October 2nd. A lower back injury followed by lingering lumbar spasms derailed the remainder of his preseason and kept him out of the Knicks’ home opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night.
Hart is one of several Knicks who’ve appeared on the injury report early this season, joining Mitchell Robinson (ankle) and Karl-Anthony Towns (Grade 2 quad strain). Robinson remains out, while Towns narrowly avoided missing the opener. Hart told Knicks reporter Ian Begley that he planned to test his back during pregame warmups and would be a game-time decision — but now it seems he’s ready to go.
The Knicks looked sharp without Hart in Wednesday’s 119–111 season-opening win at Madison Square Garden. Head coach Mike Brown unveiled a new offensive approach, using 11 different players in the first half to explore various lineup combinations on both ends of the floor. Miles “Deuce” McBride impressed enough to earn minutes with the starting unit, which should allow Hart to ease back into his usual role.
Hart is coming off a standout 2024–25 season, averaging 13.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 5.9 assists while breaking the Knicks’ franchise record for most triple-doubles in a single season since the legendary Walt “Clyde” Frazier. His impact carried over into the postseason, where he scored in double figures in 10 of the team’s first 12 playoff games.
Tonight, Hart looks to bring that same intensity as the designated sixth man off the bench in favor of McBride. While his minutes may be limited, his value will be tested immediately in a rematch against the Boston Celtics.
