The New York Knicks picked up a dominant 99-84 victory against the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday to kick off the preseason, but a critical injury to New York’s star forward Josh Hart quickly turned a few smiles upside down.
Towards the beginning of the second quarter, Hart took a hard fall after coming down with a rebound and facing backcourt pressure. The 30-year-old wing would then throw the ball into the stands and receive a swift ejection, but his health became the key focus of the outing.
Both media members and fans alike were quick to assert that Hart had suffered a lower back injury due its non-contact form and the awkward manner in which he twisted before hitting the hardwood, but a recent report has indicated that this event might not be as large of a setback as originally thought to be.
“The Knicks said that Josh hart didn’t come back in the game because he was ejected,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst shared Thursday afternoon.
“Not because he had the injury. So we’ll see how that might change over the next couple of days.”
Hart had registered just two points, three rebounds and one assist before his eventual exit, and it appears that he would have reentered the contest if he had not been sent back to the locker room by the officials for his reaction.
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The experienced two-way wing and former No. 30 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft has become the Knicks’ resident glue-guy since his arrival from the Portland Trail Blazers via trade during the 2022-23 season.
After helping to lead the Knicks to the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals last season, Hart is surely more motivated than ever to help the franchise hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy for the first time since 1973 in 2025-26.
A firecracker on both sides of the ball and an undying hustler, Hart sustained several injuries from the Knicks’ 2025 postseason run that could come back to haunt him this year, making the need for him to make a full recovery from his latest ailment all the more paramount.
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