So much for fully healthy.
Just hours after completing practice in Tarrytown, the Knicks ruled out starting forward Josh Hart for Thursday’s matchup against the Chicago Bulls, citing patellofemoral syndrome in his right knee—a condition commonly referred to as runner’s knee or jumper’s knee.
The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons describes patellofemoral pain syndrome as pain in the front of the knee and around the kneecap, typically relieved by adjusting activity levels.
And in Hart’s case, that adjustment was overdue.
No player in the NBA logged more minutes than Hart entering the All-Star break, and while Thursday’s game marks the first of a back-to-back set leading into Friday’s matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Hart’s injury status raises concern beyond workload management.
The Knicks’ ironman has dealt with right knee swelling at multiple points this season, making his absence noteworthy—especially after a full week off for the break.
Mitchell Robinson was also ruled out as he continues ramping up from offseason ankle surgery.
Meanwhile, OG Anunoby (right foot sprain) remains questionable for Thursday. The Knicks listed him as questionable in the final two games before the break, but after missing five straight contests, he is expected to return pending a successful pregame warmup.
NO BREAK FOR THIBS
Where did Tom Thibodeau spend his All-Star break?
“It was perfect: Club Tarrytown,” he said, referring to the Knicks’ training facility. “72 [degrees] and sunny every day.”
It was a very on-brand answer for a coach whose reputation hinges on his relentless commitment to the game.
“It’s 24/7. All-inclusive,” Karl-Anthony Towns joked.
Towns, who played under Thibodeau in Minnesota, insists this wasn’t always the case.
“Hell no. Time has treated us all differently. For Thibs, I feel like he’s at a point where he’s just having fun,” Towns said. “He’s really having fun with this. I know that from being a player and a friend of his. Just enjoying the process of being a coach.”
Towns credited growth, experience, and the Knicks’ current locker room for Thibodeau’s shift in perspective.
“I think it’s a testament to growth for him and time. And a testament to players in this locker room and the coaching staff he has around him that allow him to appreciate the little things even more — and life more.”
But Jalen Brunson had a different take.
“I hope he knows he can be in the lab from home as well,” the Knicks captain said. “This man has a very beautiful home office. Go stay there. And whatever I’ve told you guys, I’ve told him to his face.”