Josh Hart Shows Fire, Desire in Brief New York Knicks Preseason Debut

Josh Hart made the most of his eight minutes in his New York Knicks preseason debut on Saturday night.

Josh Hart is as consistent of a performer as anyone else among the NBA's finest. Since arriving as the final pick of 2017's draft, Hart has averaged 9.8 points and 7.8 rebounds in a well-traveled career that has finally found a home in Manhattan.

It's easy to see why the New York Knicks wanted to lock up Hart for the next five years via a $12.9 million player option and subsequent four-year extension: Hart averaged 10.2 points in the 25 games that he played with the Knicks after the team acquired him from Portland at the trade deadline. The team posted a 17-8 record in those games and locked up the fifth seed on the Eastern Conference playoff bracket.

Hart was held out of the Knicks' preseason opener last Monday night against Boston, granted an extra opportunity to rest following a busy summer with Team USA at the FIBA Basketball World Cup. He returned to action on Saturday when the Knicks returned to Madison Square Garden to host the Minnesota Timberwolves.

If guard Josh Hart can keep up his hustle on the court, he could be a motor for the New York Knicks / Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

In his Knicks preseason debut, Hart played only eight minutes, scoring just three points, but made a memorable reintroduction to MSG hardwood: just 25 seconds after he checked into the game, he made a diving play attempting to save a loose ball. He then tripped and landed backside first into the seating behind the basket. 

Thibs: Josh Hart’s taking it easy preseason

Hart, first play in: pic.twitter.com/lAfKhU3ns9

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) October 15, 2023

He got right back up and continued playing and did not appear to be injured or held back in any way by his hard fall, in fact emerging with a smile before resuming his duties on the floor. The fact that Hart can make an impact beyond scoring means that head coach Tom Thibodeau's team has a bench weapon capable of making his presence felt in other ways.

Hart and the Knicks return to preseason action on Tuesday night, when they face their only road game of the preseason in Boston (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG).