Josh Hart Continues Climbing Knicks History Board

Josh Hart set yet another New York Knicks landmark in the team's latest win.

Dec 30, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) handles the ball against Washington Wizards guard Carlton Carrington (8) during the second quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images / Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

Josh Hart made a little bit of New York Knicks magic in Monday's calendar-closing clash against the Washington Wizards.

With 23 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists — all season-highs — in the 126-106 win over Washington, Hart posted the ninth triple-double of his career. He becomes just the fourth Knick to post at least nine triple-doubles in Manhattan, breaking a tie with departed teammate Julius Randle. Walt "Clyde" Frazier is the leader at 23, followed by Michael Ray Richardson (18) and Richie Guerin (16).

“It’s so funny the turnaround from him saying in the preseason he don’t know what the hell he’s doing to now,” Karl-Anthony Towns, whose 32-point, 13-rebound effort was overshadowed, said, per James Edwards III of The Athletic. “He’s pretty much showing us what he can do. He has it figured out.”

Dec 30, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) reacts during the third quarter against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images / Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

Hart's recent output have rendered the preseason woes that Towns mentioned long forgotten: Hart shot a mere 1-of-6 from the field in four exhibition showings and claimed to be "lost" amidst those issues. With the season fully underway, Hart is averaging career-highs (14.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, 5.5 assists) heading into 2025.

Monday was yet another showcase of Hart's impact in New York: the Knicks (23-10) were in a dogfight with the woebegone Wizards before Hart started to restore sanity with a 17-point output in the second quarter, one that saw him shoot 6-of-7 from the field. The Knicks improved to 90-51 since trading for Hart in February 2023, the fifth-best record in the NBA in that span, including eight in a row to close out an eventful year.

“If you want stop me from doing that or keep me off the glass, that’s a game plan,” Hart said after Monday's win, per Edwards. "But at the end of the day, at some point, you’re going to break, whether that’s the five-minute mark of the first quarter or the two-minute mark of the fourth quarter. I just know you’re going to break at some point, and I’ll capitalize, just because that’s ingrained in me.”

Hart will look to keep the momentum rolling on the first night of the year when the Knicks (23-10) face the Utah Jazz at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG).

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