DALLAS — With OG Anunoby sidelined at least two weeks with a strained hamstring, Knicks forward Josh Hart hopes his minutes climb back toward the workload he carried last season.
“I hope [I play more],” Hart said after shootaround before Wednesday’s matchup against the Mavericks. “Before he went down, I think I was playing the least minutes of my career.”
Hart led the NBA in minutes per game last season (37.6), but under new head coach Mike Brown he’s shifted from heavy-usage starter to second-unit glue. A preseason bout with back spasms slowed the start to his season, and he entered Wednesday averaging 25.5 minutes through 12 games.
Brown, though, believes Hart has been exceptional regardless of role.
“You definitely want guys to feel good about how they’re being used as part of the group, but in the same breath, Josh has been fantastic,” Brown said. “There’s been two, maybe three [instances] early on that I’ve kicked myself for not throwing him back in the game late.”
Hart’s minutes have already started to climb. He logged 34 minutes in each of the Knicks’ last two games without Anunoby and 30 minutes in the Nov. 11 win over Memphis, when Anunoby played only 18.
Hart admits he keeps track of his minutes — but only when emotions run high.
“When I’m mad, yeah,” Hart said. “But I’m ready to have to always do what needs to be done to help the team get wins.”
Brown said buy-in on playing time will be essential on a veteran roster with championship aspirations. To illustrate Hart’s value, he compared him to a familiar Swiss Army knife from his Golden State days.
“They’re not the same player, but he’s such a glue piece like Andre Iguodala was in Golden State,” Brown said. “He just ties everything and anybody together. He does so many things out there that are just really simple that makes the game easier for everybody… And he can definitely do that for us and probably play more minutes, but at the end of the day, we have a good team, and I’m gonna try to spread [the minutes] around as best I can.”
After a breakout under Tom Thibodeau last season, Hart’s production has naturally leveled off in Brown’s new system. He’s averaging 9.2 points and 6.5 rebounds — both his lowest since early Pelicans days — while Brown has started Mitchell Robinson and, in Anunoby’s absence, Landry Shamet instead of elevating Hart.
“For players it takes a while to get used to a system, and with coaches it takes a while to get used to players,” Hart said.
82-GAME GRIND
Hart believes the NBA schedule is too demanding — but understands why nothing changes.
“Do I think there’s too many games? Yeah,” he said. “Conversely, will governors and league and players take a pay cut to not do that? I don’t know.”
His comments came in response to Steve Kerr’s recent criticism that the NBA’s pace is driving an uptick in soft-tissue injuries across the league. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Victor Wembanyama, Anthony Davis and Ja Morant all headline that list. For the Knicks, Anunoby’s hamstring strain fits the same pattern.
Hart agreed Kerr is “probably” right.
“The guys are faster, they’re stronger, they’re more athletic. And with that being said, you have to allow more time than normal of rest and recovery,” he said. “But for me, I never really worry too much about the injury side of it. I pray before every game, and if something does happen, it’s part of my testimony.”
Brown also agreed with Kerr’s stance, though he doesn’t think playing games every other day is the right cadence.
“I think if we did play less games, it would help because the game is faster and you’re putting a lot of pressure on everyone’s bodies playing three [games] in four nights or 14-15 back-to-backs throughout the course of a year,” he said. “So if you had a few more days in-between to recover, from a novice speaking, I think it would be better, but that’s just my two cents.
“Not every other day. That’s still a lot. But to space it out just a little bit more, have less back-to-backs so guys have a real opportunity to recover, I think could be beneficial just because of how fast the game is.”
As for whether today’s game is too fast?
“I don’t know, man,” Hart said. “I’m going to let the analytic geeks figure that one out.”
DEBT UNPAID
Brown said Kerr still owes him money from a game of two-on-two, where he and former Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer played against Kerr and former Atlanta Hawks GM Danny Ferry.
“We played two-on-two with [Kerr and] Danny Ferry, and we busted their a–, and Steve still owes me $100 from that match,” said Brown. “I think Danny paid up, which is surprising, but Steve didn’t. Steve’s smarter than me, but he’s not better. I know he played 15 years in the NBA and all that s—, but he’s not better than Mike Budenholzer and myself.”
BRUNSON’S RETURN
Hart expects Jalen Brunson to feel emotions returning to the building where he began his NBA career.
“I don’t know, you’ll have to ask him,” Hart said. “Obviously he had some good years here. Obviously, he got a lot of love for Dallas, so whenever you come to a place like that, it’s always a good feeling.”
Drafted 33rd in 2018, Brunson blossomed in Dallas before departing for New York as a free agent in 2022. Since then, he’s returned twice — scoring 30 and 37 points — but the Knicks lost both. They’re 0-3 against the Mavericks in games he’s played.
“I’m sure he’s had a lot of great memories here and some not so great,” Brown said. “That’s everybody that’s been in different spots in the league.”
