It was close to Josh Hart be the hero of the crazy “comeback” achieved by the Knicks against the Heat on Friday night at Madison Square Garden. When he rose to take a 3-point catch-and-shoot, and the ball went to waste, in the most crucial moments of the game.
Jalen Brunson ensured behind to allow the Knicks to win, and everything returned to normal afterwards. Except perhaps for his teammate, who continues to think about his 3-point skill.
In his first 16 matches, the winger is currently averaging just 28.6% success in 3.1 attempts per match, one more than last year on average. We are a long way from his flamboyant 51.9% in the exercise at the end of last season with New York. The player explained this, citing a problem of confidence and rhythm, but also the fact of having changed roles and being less “involved” this season.
“I’m just trying to find a rhythm. That’s the most important thing. I’m a rhythm player. I’m not someone who just catches the ball and shoots 3-pointers and does that. That’s not really what I do.”, did he declare. “I’m more of someone who can attack the rim and get the ball out, things like that, and I’m also able to make shots. When you don’t have rhythm or feel involved, it’s sometimes difficult not to touch the ball and have to do catch-and-shoot. So that’s something I’m working on and hopefully I can get into a better rhythm.”
Not involved enough?
Hyperactive player par excellence, he is even the opposite of the player who will wait behind the arc for a good position to present itself to trigger. Especially since the start of his career, outside shooting is not really his specialty (35% career success by far). Does Josh Hart want to have more of the ball in his hands? In any case, he didn’t want to say more, contenting himself with smiling before remaining silent, instead of developing…
“I think it’s just the pace of the game”he continued. “As I said, as far as I am concerned, I am a player who brings energy and who needs rhythm. So, for me, it’s sometimes difficult to get into that rhythm. So, I’m not going to… Yes, sometimes it’s difficult”.
But for Tom Thibodeau, Josh Hart’s clumsiness from afar is a collective matter and not just the player’s. A few tweaks to play reads could also help him get back on track.
“You can’t get these shots without people working together to create these situations. He did a good job in this area. We don’t want him to hesitate. He worked. Many of his attempts have failed, and I believe that in the end, it will.”assured the Knicks coach.“You hear me say it all the time, the game tells you what you need to do. If you’re open, you have to shoot. He won’t hesitate. He’s been there for a long time. There are ups and downs. You just have to take the right shots, and the key is understanding the value of shots, not only in taking them, but also in creating them.”
| Josh Hart | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2017-18 | LAL | 63 | 23 | 46.9 | 39.6 | 70.2 | 0.7 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 7.9 |
| 2018-19 | LAL | 67 | 26 | 40.7 | 33.6 | 68.8 | 0.5 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 1.4 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 7.8 |
| 2019-20 | NOP | 65 | 27 | 42.3 | 34.2 | 73.9 | 0.9 | 5.6 | 6.5 | 1.7 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 10.1 |
| 2020-21 | NOP | 47 | 29 | 43.9 | 32.6 | 77.5 | 1.1 | 6.9 | 8.0 | 2.3 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 9.2 |
| 2021-22 * | All Teams | 54 | 33 | 50.4 | 34.3 | 75.8 | 1.2 | 6.0 | 7.2 | 4.2 | 2.8 | 1.1 | 2.1 | 0.2 | 14.9 |
| 2021-22 * | NOP | 41 | 34 | 50.5 | 32.3 | 75.3 | 1.3 | 6.5 | 7.8 | 4.1 | 2.9 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 13.4 |
| 2021-22 * | POR | 13 | 32 | 50.3 | 37.3 | 77.2 | 0.7 | 4.7 | 5.4 | 4.3 | 2.5 | 1.2 | 2.5 | 0.2 | 19.9 |
| 2022-23 * | All Teams | 76 | 32 | 52.9 | 37.2 | 75.0 | 1.9 | 5.9 | 7.8 | 3.8 | 2.6 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 0.3 | 9.8 |
| 2022-23 * | POR | 51 | 33 | 50.4 | 30.4 | 73.1 | 1.9 | 6.3 | 8.2 | 3.9 | 2.6 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 9.6 |
| 2022-23 * | NYK | 25 | 30 | 58.6 | 51.9 | 78.9 | 1.9 | 5.2 | 7.0 | 3.6 | 2.5 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 10.2 |
| 2023-24 | NYK | 16 | 28 | 42.2 | 28.6 | 80.0 | 1.0 | 5.1 | 6.1 | 2.7 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 7.1 |
| Total | 388 | 28 | 46.3 | 34.8 | 74.2 | 1.1 | 5.1 | 6.2 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 9.7 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
