That had to feel good for Josh Hart. And for the Knicks bench as a whole.
His layup gave the Knicks a six-point lead late in the third quarter. He let out a scream and whipped the Madison Square Garden crowd into a frenzy.
After a road trip on which Hart’s frustrations were visible, this was the energizing performance he’s long been known for.
Hart finished with 14 points on 5-for-10 shooting from the field along with nine rebounds and three assists in the Knicks’ 128-116 win over the Bulls on Sunday night at Madison Square Garden.
Along with Jordan Clarkson, he was a key part of what was by far the best showing for the Knicks bench this year, outscoring the Bulls bench 46-30.
“I’m going through some adversity myself, physically and mentally,” Hart said. “My biggest thing today was going out there and playing with energy, playing with joy. Not playing frustrated or mad. Just getting back to being myself.” “I saw Josh Hart,” Jalen Brunson said. “The one we know and love.”
Hart has been dealing with an injured finger on his shooting hand. He originally suffered the injury during last year’s playoffs and had surgery to repair it in the offseason but reinjured it during a practice just before training camp opened. He said Friday he does not want another surgery despite his early season woes.
On Sunday, he revealed he has some nerve damage in the finger.
“My nerve hasn’t fully gotten back to what it was before,” Hart said. “There’s a little bit of tingling, a little bit of numbness in part of my hand. Hopefully at some point, that nerve will get back [to normal]. Hopefully sooner rather than later.”
He entered Sunday averaging just 2.8 points and 1.5 turnovers per game on brutal 21.2 percent shooting from the field. He was just 1-for-10 from 3-point range and was a team-worst minus-36 on the season.
Perhaps this will be a needed turning point.
Mitchell Robinson (left ankle injury management) was in the starting lineup against the Bulls on Sunday night. That came just two days after he made his season debut Friday. He did not score but recorded five rebounds and two blocks in 13 minutes.
He briefly exited with what appeared to be a right foot/ankle injury in the third quarter, but he quickly returned.
Sunday’s game, though, represented the first leg of the Knicks’ first back-to-back of the season. They will host the Wizards on Monday. Robinson’s availability for Monday provides a test of just how aggressively the Knicks want to push him.
Coach Mike Brown was noncommittal.
Josh Giddey recorded his fourth triple-double at Madison Square Garden, finishing with 23 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists.
