Josh Hart might very well draw into the Knicks’ starting lineup on Tuesday night for Game 2 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, after all.
Suffering a sprained left ankle during the Knicks’ 101-97 victory in Cleveland in which he scored 17 points and added 10 rebounds, Hart was originally labeled as doubtful for Game 2. Yet he began trending in the right direction over the last 24 hours.
Zach Braziller of the New York Post reported earlier on Tuesday that Hart left Knicks practice without a limp, giving him a thumbs up and saying he was “good.”
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (h/t KnicksMuse) then reported just hours before tip-off for Game 2 that Hart is expected to play.
The 28-year-old shooting guard out of Villanova has been a revelation since being acquired from the Portland Trail Blazers at the trade deadline. He’s been a spark plug coming off the Knicks’ bench, averaging 10.2 points and seven rebounds over 25 games down the stretch of the regular season.
Of course, there will be questions of just how effective Hart can be and for how long given this knock. Immanuel Quickley will be vital, regardless, in picking up the slack.
Tip-off for Game 2 in Cleveland is at 7:30 p.m. ET and can be seen on TNT or MSG Network.
