Knicks Face Uncertainty as Josh Hart’s Mysterious Back Injury Threatens Game 6 Showdown with Hawks
Hart has also played an integral role for a New York defense that has held the Hawks to 107.6 points per 100 possessions, the fourth-lowest offensive rating in these 2026 NBA playoffs.
He started out the series on Jalen Johnson, bodying up the All-Star forward to push him out of his comfort zone and limit his ability to create advantages off the dribble and get into the paint, before sliding over to check crunch-time killer CJ McCollum midway through the series. McCollum has 17 points on 16 field-goal attempts with four turnovers and zero assists when Hart’s been his primary defender, according to NBA Advanced Stats matchup data. Without the veteran guard’s shot-making and drive-and-kick playmaking, Atlanta’s offense sputtered in Games 4 and 5, allowing the Knicks to regain control of the best-of-seven set; for the series, New York is allowing 7.3 fewer points-per-100 with Hart on the floor.



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