Josh Hart has been maligned as the cause of the Knicks' starting-lineup struggles since last season. His lack of 3-point sharpshooting ability makes him an easy target, no pun intended, for criticism when the lineup struggles. But should Hart be faulted for the woes of an entire five-man grouping when the Knicks have found success with lineups that include him? Even though Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns might necessitate a more physical defensive skillset, Hart's seemingly going to continue to start because his toughness and grit are that sorely needed by New York's roster.
There's no box-score column for Hart's most valuable Knicks strength
Going into Tuesday night's game against the Toronto Raptors, Hart was shooting 5-21 from behind the 3-point arc in his previous three games. In the game before that triplet, he made his lone attempt from downtown. But he missed all three of his 3-point shots in the game before that one.
However, even a lack of shooting success can't derail the trait of Hart's that is most valuable to the Knicks. While it might inevitably manifest itself onto the box score in the form of blocks, steals, rebounds, points, or even assists: it's hard to quantify hustle and grit.
However, while Hart's impact has never been recognized with an All-Star appearance, one could argue that he's provided the Knicks with as many additional wins as a star player might have in a tenure of the same length. The indefatigable intensity with which he plays the game isn't just admirable to fans at home. It inspires his teammates to play harder, too.
Bridges' shadow-and-pluck style of coverage is incredibly effective when the two-way wing is surrounded with the right skillsets. But when he's left to guard the point of attack on his own, he ends up funneling players to Towns in the paint before he can force any turnovers or snatch passes out of thin air. This is a tough reality for the Knicks, who could benefit greatly from starting someone like Deuce McBride alongside the two but have often gone with Hart, regardless of who the coach is.
The reality of the situation is that while Hart's game might not be what kids dream of recreating on NBA 2K, he's one of New York's locker room leaders and continues to earn a spot in the starting lineup because the team itself keeps deciding they need him out there when important games are in the balance.
Playoffs are Hart and Knicks' final test, but they aren't here yet
Hart isn't the only player in the world to give his teammates an energizing boost just by stepping on the court. The Knicks themselves recently acquired another one of these guys when they traded for native New Yorker Jose Alvarado, formerly a point guard for the New Orleans Pelicans. And, even though he isn't expected to be back on the court until the postseason, they have another one on the bench in McBride.
But especially until McBride is back, it seems like Hart is going to be someone head coach Mike Brown leans on heavily. Even if Hart doesn't end up leading the league in minutes, Brown has to be careful not to fall into the same trap as former coach Tom Thibodeau did when it comes to Hart and his importance to the Knicks.
While he might have star value, it's tough to play him star minutes and expect a consistently exponential return on that investment. Hart is incredibly valuable, and arguably impacts the game as much as a star player on any given night. But his aforementioned lack of 3-point shooting means he has an Achilles' heel, which opposing defenses won't feel bad about exposing in the playoffs. That's when the Knicks might have to pivot.
Until then, though? It makes plenty of sense that they'd lean on the 30-year-old to help steady the ship. He'll probably hit a couple of huge 3-pointers again in the playoffs, too.