It's no secret that Josh Hart has found his scoring efficiency drop rather significantly during this year's postseason run. Going for 12.0 points on 41.3 percent shooting from deep to 10.5 on a 26.7 percent clip through 11 games of playoff action, the New York Knicks wing is clearly amid a downswing.
However, even with these obvious woes in mind, the questions that are now arising about whether Mike Brown should swap him out of the starting five are absolutely absurd.
Yes, many have pointed out that coach Brown has shown a willingness to shake things up with his rotations throughout his debut campaign with the Knicks, using as many as 22 different starting lineups in 2025-26.
Heck, even during their epic comeback win over the Cavaliers in Game 1 of these Eastern Conference Finals, he opted to keep Hart on the pine for the majority of both the fourth period and overtime in favor of Landry Shamet.
Regardless of these talking points, however, the fact of the matter is that, with New York riding high on an eight-game win streak and boasting an overall playoff record of 9-2, changing their primary rotation while coming across such successes is simply unnecessary, especially considering how impactful the Swiss Army Knife talent in Hart has been since becoming a full-time starter.
At this point, the Knicks need to keep rolling with what has brought them here: a first five of Jalen Brunson, Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Of course, how Brown chooses to handle the veteran's minutes throughout each contest should be open for discussion.
Josh Hart admits willingness to do whatever it takes to help Knicks
As noted, Hart was kept on the sidelines during New York's historic 20-plus point comeback on Tuesday night against Cleveland, which, though admittedly not ideal, is something he's willing to do moving forward if need be.
During a recent media session, the beloved wing told reporters that while he wants to be out there helping the Knicks with his on-court abilities, at the end of the day, he's willing to cast his ego to the side and "put the success of the team over the success of myself any day.”
Throughout his three-and-a-half seasons in the Big Apple, Hart has, no pun intended, become the heart and soul of this Knicks team.
Whether he's needed to pull down a crucial board (has averaged 8.3 per night during his orange and blue tenure), play lock-down defense, or help facilitate the offense as either a secondary play-maker, ball-handler, or shot-taker, the 31-year-old has consistently shown a willingness to provide the team with anything necessary to better their chances of winning.
It seems he's also now willing to sacrafice some of his crunch-time minutes if that's what it takes to succeed.
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