NEW YORK, N.Y.— The New York Knicks are enjoying one of their best regular-season stretches in recent memory, coming off their NBA Cup triumph and a thrilling Christmas Day win over the Cavaliers.
However, their momentum has been slightly dampened by news that Josh Hart—one of the team’s top spark plugs and rebounders—sustained a right ankle sprain on Thursday and will be inactive for Saturday’s matchup against the Hawks.
There is no official timetable for his return, and the severity of the sprain has yet to be reported. Mild (Grade 1) ankle sprains typically require one to three weeks of recovery, while severe (Grade 3) tears can take eight to 12 weeks—or even longer—to fully heal. The Knicks will clearly be hoping Hart’s injury is on the less severe end of the spectrum.
Mike Brown’s squad will miss the hustle and versatility Hart brings to the floor, but the head coach can be confident in second-year guard Tyler Kolek stepping up in his absence.
The Marquette product electrified the Garden on Christmas Day with an 11-point fourth quarter to help steal a win from Cleveland, and his recent form could only improve with the added minutes Hart’s absence provides.
Meanwhile, the Hawks will likely get a much-needed boost with the return of star player Trae Young, who will be back after recovering from a right quad contusion that had kept him sidelined.
Young has dealt with various injuries this season, including missing 22 games for the Hawks in late 2025 due to a right MCL sprain. But when healthy, he has been one of the NBA’s top scorers, averaging 25.9 points per game—good for 14th in the league over that stretch.
The Knicks will also miss the chance to face their former first-round draft pick, Kristaps Porzingis, as he will miss Saturday’s contest for Atlanta due to illness.
Tipoff between the two clubs is set for 8 p.m. tonight at State Farm Arena.