Knicks preaching caution with Josh Hart injury update

ABU DHABI, U.A.E.— A back injury kept Josh Hart out of Saturday’s preseason victory over the Sixers.The official diagnosis from the Knicks was “spasms,” with a team representative downplaying the severity.“It’s preseason and we’re going to err on the side of caution,” the rep said.

“We’ll see where he is when [we get home].”The Knicks flew back to New York on Saturday afternoon and will next play Friday against the Timberwolves at the Garden.Hart collapsed to the court in pain in the second quarter of Thursday’s preseason opener, then retreated to the locker room while holding his lower back.The forward had also been ejected because he threw the ball into the stands while lying on the hardwood.

He wasn’t available to the media after Saturday morning’s shootaround.Meantime, OG Anunoby returned from a one-game absence because of a sprained hand and was impressive with 11 points in 13 minutes.With Anunoby back, Pacôme Dadiet went from starter in Game 1 to not playing in the first half Saturday, when he again struggled while going scoreless in seven minutes with two fouls.Before the game, coach Mike Brown indicated Dadiet, a first-round pick in 2024, certainly isn’t a lock for the rotation.“In terms of Pac in the rotation ….I wouldn’t take into account too much that he started in the last game,” Brown said.The coach sees the potential but is asking for more intensity.“He could be a monster defensively.

He’s just got to play with a sense of urgency defensively and awareness every single possession,” Brown said.“Every once in a while he just relaxes.

And when he relaxes, he’s not using his length, his athleticism and all the other attributes that he has that makes him a great defender.” Sign up for Inside the Knicks by Stefan Bondy, a weekly exclusive on Sports+.Please provide a valid email.

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