The New York Knicks started their preseason this Thursday against the Philadelphia 76ers. Unfortunately for Josh Hart, his day was cut short.
During the second quarter of action, Hart fell to the floor with a non-contact injury. While on the ground, the veteran forward chucked the basketball into the stands in frustration. That act resulted in him getting ejected him from the game. Obviously, that wasn’t the main concern for the Knicks.
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Hart, who averaged 13.6 points and 9.6 rebounds per game last season, apparently suffered a back injury on this play. It’s unclear what exactly happened though.
The severity of Hart’s injury is unknown at this time. The Knicks should have a better idea once he’s fully evaluated by their medical staff.
Sep 23, 2025; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks guard Josh Hart speaks to the media during a media day press conference at the Madison Square Garden training center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Knicks fans react to Hart’s injury.
Initially, fans were worried Hart suffered an Achilles injury. Although that isn’t the case, the fan base is still anxiously waiting for an official update.
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“So he got his back hurt after falling down and then ejected for throwing the ball into the stands? The heck?” one fan commented.
“Nooooooo,” a second fan said. “Not Josh.”
“Don’t let it be an Achilles… Don’t let it be an Achilles… Don’t let it be an Achilles… Don’t let it be an Achilles,” another fan wrote on X.
Hart already dealing with an injury.
Just a week ago, Hart told reporters that he reaggravated a finger injury that previously required surgery. He plans on playing through the pain this season.
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“I’m just trying to get used to it, and then get through the season with it,” Hart said. “I don’t want to go into too much detail, but I obviously got a procedure on it and then kind of reaggravated it somewhat recently. So probably just rock out with a splint this season and try to fix it again next summer.”
Now that Hart is also nursing a back injury, it’s tough to determine if he’ll be ready for the season opener on Oct. 22.
This story was originally reported by The Spun on Oct 2, 2025, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.