Following a win over the Philadelphia 76ers, the New York Knicks are back to .500 at 5-5. Josh Hart, who recorded a triple-double in the victory, preached patience to fans and media after the November 12 game.
“We’re just 10 games into the season,” Hart said, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. “We’ve got all of you [in the media] all crying about how we look, offensively, defensively. Some people ready to pack the season in, some people saying we lost our identity. We don’t listen to it. At the end of the day, we know what we have and it takes some fine-tuning.”
After adding Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns over the offseason, the Knicks have started slow. Or slower than fans had hoped, rather. Hart told reporters that New York’s win was an example of the kind of basketball they’re striving to play.
“At the end of the day we’ve got [Brunson] as our No. 1 option,” Hart continued. “KAT’s been a number one option for many years of his career. [Bridges] has been a number one option. OG can score the ball in various different ways. [McBride] comes in off the bench and gives us great minutes. I’m out there just trying to connect the dots. Great to have a game like that. I think it starts with the defense. I think we outrebounded them. We played Knicks basketball.”
Hart and the Knicks will return home to host the Chicago Bulls in their next game on November 13. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 pm EST.
Tom Thibodeau: Josh Hart ‘Likes to Hear Himself Talk’
Hart lit up the New York fanbase prior to the season’s start, when he told reporters he was lost in the team’s offense after scoring just two points over three preseason games.
“I’m lost,” Hart said on October 18, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. “I have no idea. There’s a couple days before 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.”
After he’s started the season with 10 consecutive games scoring in double-figures, head coach Tom Thibodeau responded.
“A lot of what he says you gotta let go in one ear and out the other,” Thibodeau told reporters after the win over Philadelphia. “He likes to hear himself talk. That being said, I love Josh.”
Hart certainly looks found, if he was ever lost. He’s averaging 13.2 points, 8 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game for the Knicks.
OG Anunoby Shines with 24 Points
Another New York starter out-kicking his coverage, OG Anunoby, scored 24 points in 41 minutes of action against the 76ers. He’s scored 20 or more in four of 10 games to start the year.
For a player most known for his defense, Anunoby has brought an offensive flare to his first full season in New York. Tuesday night’s win over Philadelphia featured six or seven dunks from the eight-year veteran.
As the Knicks try to get above .500 and take the first steps in separating themselves in the Eastern Conference, Anunoby’s offense is an outlier, an x-factor. If he’s playing like this all season long, New York’s ceiling rises even higher.
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Josh Hart Sends Message to Fans, Media After Knicks Top 76ers