Josh Hart is far from a perfect player. On one hand, he is arguably the inch-for-inch best rebounder in the NBA, a unrelenting workhorse who will play 45 minutes per night without complaint, and one of the best non-big screeners in the league. On the other hand, he is a reluctant 3-point shooter and poor floor spacer, which in today's NBA is a tough archetype as a wing.
In the regular season, Hart averaged 9.6 rebounds per game, which was tied for the 18th-most in the league. Every player who ranked above Hart was a center except for one, Jalen Johnson, who is four inches taller than Hart.
If you look at players who are 6 feet and 7 inches tall or shorter, Hart's rebounding prowess becomes even more apparent. Hart corralled 737 rebounds this year, which is 281 more than James Harden, who had the next most.
Carrying the Knicks' identity
Last year in the playoffs, the Knicks averaged 13.5 offensive rebounds per game, the most of any team. On top of that, they scored 17.8 second-chance points per game, again the most of any team. Hart was a huge reason why, averaging 11.5 rebounds over 13 games, the third-most of any player who played in at least five playoff games.
This year has been a different story. Isaiah Hartenstein is in Oklahoma City, where he is pulling in 3.3 offensive rebounds per night. Meanwhile, the Knicks are only grabbing 36.7 rebounds per night, the second-fewest of any playoff team.
After a disappointing Game 2 loss, head coach Tom Thibodeau called the Knicks' rebounding "problematic the whole night." He continued, "Missed shots are part of the game. But the rebounding, we control that. That's your effort. So if you're not shooting well, you gotta do other things to help us win. So rebound the ball."
That alone sums up Hart pretty well. His shot doesn't always fall, when he even attempts them, that is, but he impacts winning in so many ways, particularly on the glass.
Taking the good with the bad
The play below is a perfect microcosm for what can make Hart both frustrating and extremely valuable. After setting a screen, Hart's defender doubles Brunson, leaving Hart wide open from three. However, Hart refuses to take the open shot and drives before making a great pass and then snagging an offensive rebound.
— bk (@vidaudio45) April 25, 2025
For a Knicks team that has struggled to find what its identity is, Hart is doing a good job of trying to establish one. Simply put, he makes things happen. His lack of spacing can be frustrating, and his reluctance to shoot open threes can make you want to pull your hair out, but Hart makes winning plays and can be the heartbeat that any successful team needs.