Josh Hart was essential in Game 1 for the New York Knicks. But can the Knicks defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers if Hart misses Game 2?
The New York Knicks were victorious against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Even with Donovan Mitchell playing 43 minutes and dropping 38 points in Game 1, it was still not enough.
Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle did most of the heavy lifting offensively. Defensively, New York was extremely aggressive as a unit when it came to stopping Darius Garland and Evan Mobley and forcing Spida to be the sole offensive option for Cleveland. But the X-Factor for this game was Josh Hart.
Hart played 33 minutes, and in that span, he earned 17 points (8-11 from the field and 1-2 from three), 10 rebounds (5 offensive!), 2 assists, and 1 steal.
The 17 points and 10 rebounds stand out because those are above his Knicks season averages of 10.2 points and 7 rebounds (1.9 offensive boards).
But once again, Hart’s all-around can-do and will-do-anything effort to help will his team to victory is an intangible that cannot be measured through statistics (NBA 2K needs to create that tag for him exclusively). Whether it is the extra effort in grabbing rebounds, flying around the court to make his defensive rotations, or using his strength when driving the lane, you can always count on Hart to go 120 percent every night.
Hart’s status as of right now is questionable for Game 2 because he did roll his ankle in the waning minutes of the first matchup of the series (he was considered doubtful yesterday). He was able to finish Game 1, but as Tom Thibodeau noted in the presser, it’s the next day when the pain of a rolled ankle starts to settle in.
Not having Josh in Game 2 would be a blow for the Knicks because of the skills mentioned earlier and for all the intangibles as well – his grittiness, physicality, ability to dive for loose balls, defensive instincts, all of the stuff that doesn’t show up in the box score.
Nevertheless, this team is deep and battle-tested. This isn’t New York’s first rodeo where they are down a key member and figuring out how to survive. Remember, throughout this season, the Knicks have figured out how to manage without Jalen Brunson, Quentin Grimes, RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson, Obi Toppin, and Julius Randle.
But Hart seems like a player who would wear a brace and play because he’s a warrior and will do anything to help his team win, especially in the playoffs. So the question is: do you risk him aggravating his ankle more?
See, the Knicks could afford Hart to rest until Game 3 on Friday because of their depth, which makes sense. Having Hart healthy for the rest of the series (and beyond) is more important than risking greater injury in Game 2, which is probably what the Knicks are thinking and why they initially listed him as doubtful yesterday.
So, we may see Miles “Deuce” McBride get some minutes, which may be suitable for game-planning. As demonstrated in Game 1: The Knicks threw a lot of different defensive looks at Garland because 1) Donovan Mitchell is going to get his, so it’s near impossible to stop him completely, and 2) they wanted to force Garland, a young, playoff inexperienced point guard, to make some tough decisions in high stakes moments. And as a result, that worked to New York’s benefit because Garland did not play a great game.
I know what you’re asking now: How does Deuce getting minutes factor into this game plan?
Well, McBride is a hound on defense. He will full-court press opponents every possession, making it difficult for them to get into their sets and run their actions. And because McBride is quick and agile when navigating screens, that is another way to throw a different look at Garland.
RJ defended Garland very well in the first matchup. No question. But McBride’s defense is just different – the energy, hustle, and ability to get skinny around screens fast enough to stick to an assignments hip. All of that could be even more frustrating for Garland because he’s probably been prepping to navigate the Knicks’ defense from what he saw in Game 1.
Of course, though, the question will be whether Deuce’s offense can appear. If not, Thibodeau may go with an eight-and-a-half rotation, meaning Deuce will get minutes just for defensive purposes. On the other hand, Thibodeau could also go eight and strictly rely on Barrett, Grimes, and Immanuel Quickley to ball out. But I would guess we see McBride get some minutes, even if he gets a short stint (keeping fresh legs benefits the Knicks in this series, especially since the Cavaliers don’t have depth).
At the end of the day, this will come down to pain tolerance and how Hart feels today. If the ankle feels comfortable to play, I can see him throwing on a brace and suiting up. At the same time, I could also see the Knicks resting him because his long-term health is so crucial for the Knicks’ success in this series.
Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the NBA season. And in case you missed it, check out Game of the Week; Alex and Evan Dammarell, Author of Right Down Euclid and Host of Locked on Cavs, preview Game 2 of the Knicks-Cavaliers playoff series!
