The New York Knicks didn’t even get through the opening stretch of their preseason before bad luck struck. Josh Hart, the team’s do-it-all utility man, went down with a lower back injury Thursday afternoon against the Philadelphia 76ers, and the sequence spiraled into a bizarre scene. After the non-contact play, Hart was visibly frustrated, eventually launching the ball into the stands and earning an immediate ejection.

For a player known for his relentless motor and steady composure, it was an uncharacteristic moment that underscored just how much pain he was in.

A non-contact injury with troubling signs

The play itself was harmless enough—Hart planted awkwardly, then grimaced as he reached for his back. No collision, no foul, just a sudden jolt of pain that sent a shockwave through th

See Full Page