Swiss army knife of the Knicks where he can play positions 2 to 4, Josh Hart was rewarded this summer for his activity and his impact on the franchise with a contract extension. Except that this start to the season doesn’t really correspond to what he expected, since he doesn’t see the ball much in attack.
Even though he is a model teammate, the international winger would like to see the ball more often. Simply for a question of rhythm, while his 3-point skill is at half mast.
“I’m a rhythm player. Sometimes if I don’t touch the ball for four or five minutes, running back and forth across the field, I might as well be playing with a soccer ball.”explains Josh Hart. “I feel like I’m not feeling the ball. Sometimes I ignore shots because I’m not in the rhythm. I don’t like this feeling.”
“Frankly, we use it more. He has more of the ball in hand”
A few hours after this declaration, Josh Hart had his best game of the season with 17 points against the Hornets. Tom Thibodeau assures that it is a simple coincidence, and he does not understand his player’s remarks.
“There is no real evolution” judges the Knicks coach. “Frankly, we use it more. He has more of the ball in hand. The way to use it is no different from last year. He pulls the beauty up on transition. He doesn’t shoot 3-pointers as well as last year. But he stands out, and he can’t hesitate. He has to shoot.”
Faced with his coach’s explanations, Josh Hart wonders if he should change roles… “ I may have to change my playstyle a bit, and do more catch-and-shoot. It really depends on the needs of the team and if that’s my role and the function this year, that’s what I need to do. I have to make the most of this situation and the minutes that Thibs gives me. »
Calculate less for more shooting
For Tom Thibodeau, Josh Hart is a key element, and if the Knicks bench is so effective, it’s because he does a little bit of everything. There is therefore no question of changing roles, and he reminds us that we must first think about the team.
“You have to put the team before anything personal. It’s all about the team and sacrificing for the team. What has perhaps changed a little for him is defensively, to the extent that he has to defend on the inside. There are always situations where he will defend against the best opposing attackers. This is one of its strong points. I want us to take advantage of it. But he can be effective with the starters and the substitutes, and I don’t want him to hesitate. If he’s open, he has to shoot.”
A priori, the message got through since he scored two of his three 3-point shots against the Hornets. “I just have to make quick decisions. That’s the most important thing, whether I’m unmarked or whether the shooter penetrates or passes. I don’t have to calculate too much and just play. »
