Josh Hart is making an impact in so many different ways.
Right now, though, it’s one of his lesser-discussed skills that the Knicks miss the most.
Without him there is a dire lack of a facilitator and playmaker.
One of Mike Brown’s big missions was to get Jalen Brunson off the ball and take the pressure off him to set up the offense.
And after Hart was inserted into the starting lineup, he often worked as an orchestrator and usually the one pushing the Knicks in transition.
But without him, the attack has become stagnant and undynamic, with a lack of ball movement during this four-match skid. In their blowout loss to the Pistons on Monday night in Detroit, Brunson had zero assists and six turnovers, struggling to create for his teammates without anyone to take that burden off his shoulders.
“We had our lowest stroke count in our last game,” Brown said after practice on Tuesday. “I think we had 229 passes for the game, and we’re averaging just over 290. That’s a big difference. When you’re talking about 70 fewer passes in one game, that’s a big difference. I showed our guys that we had chances where we could have gotten off the ball earlier. And that’s true across the board.”
Hart – who is out again for Wednesday’s game against the Clippers at Madison Square Garden with his sprained ankle – is averaging 5.1 assists per game, second on the team behind Brunson.
His resilience and willingness to do the dirty work are usually the first things that come to mind, but his ability as a creator is undeniable.
More than anyone other than Brunson, he forces defenses to collapse and creates openings for teammates. And it is he who most gets the Knicks to play with pace offensively.
Besides adding more responsibility to Brunson — which runs counter to Brown’s vision — there are few other candidates who can handle that playing load.
OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges’ roles in Brown’s system are primarily to stay in the corners as catch-and-shoot options from three-point range. Karl-Anthony Towns is a good passer for a big man, but isn’t someone who can break down a defense off the dribble.
Miles McBride can do it a little, but he’s not a natural talent.
Without Heart, should any of these roles change?
“I think it might not be best to have guys switch roles,” Brunson said. “It could happen, but for us it’s all about going the extra mile. Controlling what you can control, doing what you have to do, playing to your strengths, just helping your team and doing whatever it takes. I think that’s what Josh brings to the table – he does whatever it takes to win. So when it comes to changing your role, I feel like everyone has to step up in some way. It won’t just be one person. We all just have to be better as a team. It’s clear and clear. simple.”
Something else is plain and simple: the Knicks can’t easily replicate Hart’s role.
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