Knicks Get Major Josh Hart Injury Update Before Celtics Showdown
The New York Knicks received some encouraging news Thursday as forward Josh Hart was upgraded to questionable for Friday’s marquee home game against the 2024 champion Boston Celtics, the reigning Eastern Conference champions.
Hart missed the Knicks’ 119–111 season-opening win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, but the latest NBA injury report signaled progress in his recovery from the lower back injury that had sidelined him since the preseason.
Big man Karl-Anthony Towns, who played through a Grade 2 right quadriceps strain, was also listed as questionable, while Mitchell Robinson remains out for “left ankle injury management.”
The possible return of Hart comes at a critical time as the Knicks prepare for a grueling stretch against playoff-caliber opponents — the Celtics, the Miami Heat (Oct. 26) and the Milwaukee Bucks (Oct. 28) — to close out the month.
Josh Hart Showing Progress After Hard Fall
Hart has been slowly ramping up his activity since suffering a hard fall in the team’s first preseason game in Abu Dhabi, where he hurt his lower back diving for a loose ball.
According to SNY’s Ian Begley, Hart has resumed running and light on-court workouts, though he has yet to participate in full-contact scrimmages.
“Like with Mitchell Robinson, the Knicks’ medical team is taking a cautious approach with Hart,” Begley said on Tusday. “If Hart’s back continues to progress, the team will gradually increase his workload. For now, the Knicks will be down two rotation players to start the season — not ideal for a team trying to gel under a new head coach.”
Hart is also managing a finger injury that required offseason surgery. He plans to play the entire 2025–26 season with a splint on his right hand, having re-aggravated the injury — initially sustained in last year’s playoffs — during training camp.
The 29-year-old wing is coming off the best year of his career, averaging 13.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game. He also set a franchise record with nine triple-doubles, embodying the Knicks’ signature grit and hustle under former coach Tom Thibodeau.
Rotation Questions Loom Under Mike Brown
When Hart returns, it’s unclear whether he will reclaim his starting role. Against the Cavaliers, the Knicks opened with Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Towns, and Ariel Hukporti, a double-big lineup that reflected new head coach Mike Brown’s system emphasizing size, rebounding, and defense.
Brown has already shown a willingness to experiment, especially as the team transitions from Thibodeau’s more rigid approach. With Hart’s health improving and Robinson still sidelined, the Knicks could rely on their bench depth — a key factor in their early-season success.
Mitchell Robinson’s Uncertain Status Raises Questions
While Hart’s recovery is trending upward, Mitchell Robinson’s status remains more complicated.
“Obviously he’s not 100% healthy,” Begley said on The Putback. “He was healthy enough to play in the preseason, so something is amiss here.”
The 27-year-old center dominated early in the preseason — grabbing 16 rebounds in just 18 minutes against the Philadelphia 76ers in Abu Dhabi — before being limited to partial play and eventually shut down for the remainder of exhibition games.
Robinson has struggled with lower-body injuries for much of his career, appearing in only 48 games over the past two seasons due to recurring foot and ankle issues.
Last season, Robinson returned in time for the Knicks’ Eastern Conference Finals run, averaging 4.7 points and 7.8 rebounds over 18 playoff games while anchoring the team’s defense.
Contract Extension Looms as Uncertainty Persists
Robinson’s murky health situation comes as he enters a pivotal contract year. According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the Knicks have initiated extension talks with Robinson’s representatives, but “there hasn’t yet been traction toward a deal.”
Robinson, who will earn $13 million this season, becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer if no extension is finalized by June 30, 2026, per ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks.
The Knicks view Robinson as a crucial part of their defensive identity, but his durability — and Towns’ ability to stay healthy — could determine how far this retooled roster goes under Brown.
Matt LaFleur Gives Insightful Jordan Love Update After Surgery
The Green Bay Packers‘ worst nightmare came partially true on Saturday, as quarterback Jordan Love got injured during the first pre-season game against the
Thankfully the injury was limited to just his thumb and the UCL ligament. Whilst Love managed to practice on Monday, he subsequently had surgery on Tuesday.
“Surgery” at any point during training camp is about the worst word you can hear outside of “torn” alongside “ACL”. But due to the small nature of the ligament, and it not impacting a vast amount of his play, it has been considered to not affect his ready-to-go status for week one at the beginning of September.
And now, per head coach Matt LaFleur, the sixth year quarterback should be back at practice in some form by next week.
Jordan Love To Return To Practice Next Week
“The surgery went well, and he’s in great spirits.”
Packers HC Matt LaFleur spoke ahead of Thursday’s joint practice with the Colts on Jordan Love’s left thumb surgery.
Love is with the team in Indiana and is expected to speak to media after practice.
pic.twitter.com/U4IGLihe5z— Ashley Washburn (@ashleyjwashburn) August 14, 2025
“The surgery went well, and he’s in great spirits.” LaFleur said on Thursday prior to the joint practice, “He’s here with us so now its just about putting in the work to get the thumb rehabbed.”
When asked about when he would be able to start throwing again, LaFleur added, “I wouldn’t say right away, but we anticipate there will be some sort of participation next week.”
This does not inherently mean that the Packers’ signal caller will immediately be thrown into the depths of joint practice, but it could be that Love gets back into some basic throwing drills at some point over the next seven days.
How Does Jordan Love Feel About His Thumb Injury?
Jordan Love had a similar reaction to LaFleur, and did not seem to have any major worries about his thumb, nor about any possible future time missed – per The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman.
Jordan Love refers to the time he’ll miss as “a couple days” and says he’ll start practicing again next week. pic.twitter.com/GZ9YlCYTwD
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) August 14, 2025
“We’ll start integrating back in next week,” Love said on Thursday, “and just playing it by ear – seeing how it feels once I get going and moving it around, things like that. Just playing it by ear but next week we should start.”
Indeed, also per Schneidman, Love noted that had it not been for it being before the start of the season, he would likely have not even gotten the surgery on his thumb.
Jordan Love says he probably wouldn’t have gotten surgery if this was the regular season. Chose to now because he has time to recover and be “fully ready for Week 1.”
pic.twitter.com/FQGwSG01nf— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) August 14, 2025
“If this [the injury] is in the middle of the season, it probably would have been something we didn’t do,” Love explained to the media.
In a way, it is good that it did happen prior to the season, so that Love can start the year with a full bill of health and attempt to lead the Packers to an NFC North division title for the first time since 2021.
