The New York Knicks have had an uneven beginning to their 2025-26 season.
Expected to contend for a title next spring and summer, the Knicks instead have stumbled to a disappointing 3-3 start.
Now, a critical New York guard has revealed that his lingering finger injury that may require offseason surgery is actually a nerve damage issue affecting his whole shooting hand.
Josh Hart's bad break
Per Fred Katz and James L Edwards III for The Athletic, reserve swingman Josh Hart has indicated that has lost feeling in the fourth finger of his shooting hand, plus his middle and pinky fingers.
“It’ll probably be a process until I get full feeling back,” Hart said. “The hand will be what it is. I’m working (on shooting) all the time. That’ll come along. I’m not getting surgery.”
The injury has clearly been affecting Hart this year. In his five healthy games for New York, the Villanova product has been averaging just 5.0 points on .310/.143/.714 shooting splits, along with 6.6 boards, 3.2 dimes, and 0.8 steals in just 23.0 minutes per.
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In fairness, part of the trouble could be ascribed to Hart's struggles adjusting to his new role. First-year Knicks head coach Mike Brown has shifted Hart to the bench, so the 30-year-old has seen his minutes get slashed from 37.6 in 2024-25 to just 23.0 this year.
"If I’m not going to start, I’m totally cool with it,” Hart said. “I don’t want to be, like, the next starter up because then everything is varying by game. I want more of a consistent role so that I can affect that role.”
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