The New York Knicks have had a strong season so far, even though they have been struggling with injuries throughout the year. After their Christmas Day win against the Cleveland Cavaliers, they have a new addition to the injury report.
Josh Hart sprained his ankle against the Cavaliers, resulting in his early exit from Thursday's game. The severity of the injury is unclear, so it remains to be seen if Hart can play against the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday.
Hart out and McBride in for the Knicks' injury report
It is not all bad news for the Knicks, even though Hart stepping on Dean Wade's foot resulted in his injury. The Knicks received an encouraging update for Miles McBride, who was also dealing with an ankle injury.
Losing Hart is a big deal because he is one of the most crucial energy players on the roster. His rebounding and overall hustle are huge traits that they often utilize to win games, but that won't be possible against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday.
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McBride is considered "questionable" for the game against the Hawks, which is a huge shift. Tyler Kolek has been doing well as the backup point guard over the past few games. However, McBride can still earn his place back, considering he has been excellent over the past few seasons.
Hart's exit from the lineup also means that there will be more minutes to throw around. The energetic 30-year-old is a crucial part of the rotation, so McBride, Kolek, and other players will do their best to contribute. McBride has not played since December 7, so he will take some time to get used to game speed.
Thankfully, the rest of the team is playing well, so they can get past some of their depth issues without Hart. Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby can seamlessly fit in, so there won't be much of a big absence. Most Knicks fans are hoping that this will be a quick turnaround for Hart, as he has been quite reliable over the past few years.
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