Josh Hart Balances Knee Pain and Struggling 3-Point Shot Ahead of Playoffs

LOS ANGELES — Knicks forward Josh Hart is facing a dual challenge as he grapples with persistent knee pain while attempting to remedy a significant decline in his 3-point shooting efficiency.

During a media session on Thursday, Hart revealed that his struggle to practice regularly has contributed to his shooting woes. He noted that he can’t put in the extra work he once did due to his knee discomfort. “I think it’s more not being able to put the extra work in like I did earlier in the year. The mechanics are off,” Hart said. “Obviously doing those tweaks, that only gets cemented by repetition.”

Hart’s shooting struggles have been evident over the past month. He entered Thursday’s game with a mere 15.7% shooting from beyond the arc in his last 13 games, including just one successful shot out of seven attempts since February 12. This decline coincided with recurring flare-ups of patellofemoral pain syndrome, commonly known as runner’s knee, leading to knee swelling and complications.

“I will take a couple of days off, feel good, go out and shoot for 10 minutes, and then it swells up again,” Hart explained. “It’s just a constant process of playing, resting, and getting that inflammation out.” Despite his challenges, Hart has only missed two games this season and ranks third in the NBA for total minutes played, trailing only Mikal Bridges and Anthony Edwards.

Although Hart is enjoying one of his best offensive seasons, averaging 14.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 5.7 assists, the lack of efficiency in his 3-point shooting has diminished his attempts and effectiveness. Consequently, defenders are leaving Hart open on the perimeter, negatively impacting New York’s spacing on offense.

“If I’m out there, I’m healthy enough. I think I’ve had to sacrifice some of the other work to focus on the recovery aspect (of my knee),” Hart said. “It’s a constant battle. I’m trying to figure out the balance between giving myself rest and staying sharp.”

As the playoffs approach in just over a month, Hart is weighing the priorities of managing his knee condition versus sharpening his shooting. “After a game, depending on how it feels, sometimes it’s hard to go out there and get reps,” he said. “A little bit of confidence becomes a factor, but also not being sharp impacts my game.”

Hart emphasizes that his success within the team extends beyond stat lines. He prides himself on being a facilitator, contributing to team dynamics beyond points and rebounds. “You see I go out there and didn’t have 10 points and 10 rebounds, you think I didn’t have a good day,” he stated. “But you don’t realize everything else, the human aspect of it. For me, I’m a connector.”