Knicks vs 76ers: Coach Thibs Fulfils “Upset” Josh Hart’s Wish Despite New York’s Glaring Problem

NY Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau hilariously responded to Josh Hart’s growing concern. Over the last few weeks, the injuries have plagued the NY side, leaving them short-handed for almost every game. And Hart has been at the receiving end of this issue. In the last 10 games, the 29-year-old guard has played almost 40 minutes in every game.

Speaking after tonight’s victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, Thibodeau addressed Hart’s concern. He added, “He’s upset about his usage…He plays to win and that’s what I love about him. He’s not a guy that plays for stats, he plays to win. That’s what makes him so valuable to us.” 

The team had lost its frontcourt of Julius Randle and OG Anunoby to injuries over the last few weeks. While Anunoby was finally cleared to play tonight, Randle is yet to recover from his shoulder injury. The aftereffects of their absence had directly affected Josh Hart. In fact, he responded to it with his brilliant performances, which included four triple-doubles.

Tonight, he recorded his fourth triple-double of the season, dropping 20 points with 19 rebounds and 10 assists. He helped the team take a comeback win against the Sixers after an embarrassing loss in their previous outing.

In their previous outing, Hart churned in 43 minutes to drop 9 points in a losing cause. Following that game, he said, ” I probably should have taken myself out of yesterday’s game with how I played… But body-wise … the body feels good to have had that kind of stretch,” while speaking about his herculean stretch.

Read More – Josh Hart Stays True to Himself Despite Shouldering Jalen Brunson’s Herculean Responsibility

Despite the poor performance in the last outing, Hart turned it around tonight with a triple-double.

Josh Hart shines in a low-scoring affair

The last two games between the Sixers and Knicks have been a low-scoring affair. In the first outing, both teams barely touched 100 points, as the Sixers took home a close 79-73 win. Tonight’s game also wasn’t any different. While OG Anunoby’s return may have boosted the Knicks’ score a bit, the Sixers couldn’t score beyond 79 points.

However, the Knicks had 6 players, scoring in double digits to take the score to 106 points. Apart from Hart, Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, and Anunoby dropped 50 points together. Joel Embidd-less Sixers have been pushed down to the 7th seed in the East and Knicks stay afloat in the fourth seed with 38 wins. Next up, the Knicks face the Portland Trail Blazers and would look to keep their streak alive.

What do you make of Josh Hart’s hard minutes in his herculean stretch? Let us know in the comments below.