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USA Today via Reuters

USA Today via Reuters

On Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, the Charlotte Hornets unfortunately lost to the New York Knicks 115-91. Despite the hard work from P. J. Washington, Miles Bridges, Gordon Hayward, and Bryce McGowens, the Hornets failed to turn around the game and trailed throughout playing time. However, the standout performance of Josh Hart off the bench was the highlight of it, drowned in the rumors that he did not want to be on the team anymore. After the match, however, Hart cleared the air and spoke his mind.

Josh Hart gives clarity to stop discontent speculations

After the Knicks’ victory, it also became evident that Josh Hart’s contributions were crucial. Despite coming in as a substitute, he proved his versatility, scoring 17 points, taking 6 rebounds, 2 assists, one block, and one steal, all within thirty minutes. Immanuel Quickley, who scored 23 points with three rebounds, also fought by his side. The most important aspect of this victory was the leadership contribution by Julius Randle (25 points and 20 rebounds), and Jalen Brunson, concentrating primarily on distributing, with 12 points and 7 assists.

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With this in mind, Hart’s post-game explanation further highlighted the strength of the Knick’s quality. Hart went straight to the heart of the matter, stating directly that he was not the disgruntled player. Hart shared, “Just so you know, I’m not a disgruntled player. Make sure y’all tweet that s**t. Josh Hart said he’s not disgruntled.” Moreover, this statement demonstrated that he remained loyal to the club and the stability of the Knicks’ bench, which was crucial on their way to success.

Hart’s breakout sparks optimism

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After his stellar game against the Hornets, a lot will be expected of him as it proved to be a turning point for this season. Having scored in only five double-figure games within the season, Hart has an average of 7.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 0.9 steals.

Read More: Jalen Brunson Calls “Help” For Josh Hart After Knicks Star’s Hilarious Dig at Mitchell Robinson

This performance could be a glimpse of his capabilities and one needs to avoid focusing on a single match. And fantasy basketball managers should keep an eye out for Hart’s consistency. If he puts together consecutive stellar games, he might prove to be worth his weight in salt. This goes without saying for any perceptive individual who appreciates young players with tremendous upside potential of becoming out-of-position phenoms.

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However, for the time being, Hart’s emphatic statement should provide some reassurance that New York Knick’s bench strength is still a force to be reckoned with in the NBA.