The Knicks stole Game 1 on the road against the Cavaliers, but they may not be at full strength for Game 2.
Key reserve Josh Hart suffered a left ankle injury in New York's win in Game 1. He continued to play through the pain, coming up with some massive plays down the stretch to decide the outcome.
The Knicks acquired Hart at the trade deadline and he has added a boost to the team's bench, single-handedly outscoring Cleveland's reserves in Game 1.
Will Hart be available for the Knicks in Game 2? The Sporting News has the latest updates below.
What is Josh Hart's injury?
Hart suffered a left ankle sprain late in the fourth quarter of Game 1 after fighting for a defensive rebound in a crowd of players.
This is how Josh Hart sustained the sprained left ankle. It was after Jarrett Allen’s tip-in that gave Cavs 93-92 lead with 2:12 left. But Hart shook it off and drilled the go-ahead 3 coming off Knicks timeout and finished the game. His ankle was swollen the next morning. pic.twitter.com/d4ac19QY9G
— alder almo (@alderalmo) April 17, 2023
He remained in the game, battling through the ailment before knocking down a huge go-ahead 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter to lead the Knicks to victory.
WHAT A GAME for @joshhart‼️ pic.twitter.com/H9Oa52oZye
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) April 16, 2023
How long will Josh Hart be out?
On Tuesday, the Knicks upgraded Hart from "doubtful" to "questionable" for Game 2, which is a great sign for the forward.
At practice on Monday, head coach Tom Thibodeau revealed that Hart only participated in parts of practice due to a sprained left ankle.
When asked if he expected Hart to be available for Game 2, Thibodeau said, "We'll see how he feels (on Tuesday). Usually, with sprains like that, it's more how you feel the next day. He said he felt fine (in Game 1) and we'll see where he is (on Tuesday)."
Check back for updates as they become available.
Knicks vs. Cavaliers playoff series schedule
| Date | Game | Location | Time (ET) | TV Channel | Result |
| Saturday, April 15 | Game 1 | Cleveland | 6 p.m. | ESPN | Knicks 101, Cavaliers 97 |
| Tuesday, April 18 | Game 2 | Cleveland | 7:30 p.m. | TNT | |
| Friday, April 21 | Game 3 | New York | 8:30 p.m. | ABC | |
| Sunday, April 23 | Game 4 | New York | 1 p.m. | ABC | |
| Wednesday, April 26 | Game 5* | Cleveland | TBD | TBD | |
| Friday, April 28 | Game 6* | New York | TBD | TBD | |
| Sunday, April 30 | Game 7* | Cleveland | TBD | TBD |
*If necessary
