Nov 24, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown looks on during the first quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Mike Brown Takes Blame for Limiting Knicks Star

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Erin Shapland | Last updated Dec 1, 2025 11:00 AM ET

The New York Knicks are back on the rise, and since Josh Hart's return to the lineup last week, the team has been perfect. Now second in the Eastern Conference with a 13-6 record (behind the 16-4 Detroit Pistons), head coach Mike Brown is taking the blame for limiting Hart's minutes.

“I’ve said this quite a bit, especially our first three losses, I’ll take the hit on that,” Brown said, per the New York Post's Jared Schwartz and Stefan Bondy. “The tough part was, I’ll back it up further, he didn’t really play in the preseason. He didn’t even really practice in the preseason."

"For me, I was behind the eight ball trying to figure out how to incorporate him with what we were trying to do. It just took time.”

Hart in 2025

New York Knicks guard Josh Hart Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Hart's early-season limitations weren't Brown's fault, of course, as Hart experienced the reemergence of a nerve issue in his shooting hand that had plagued him in the playoffs. The 30-year-old Knicks guard took a diminished role while working with a shooting coach every day, and has significantly improved from three in that time, now making 37.9% of those shots.

Hart is averaging 7.8 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game this season and owns a 49.7% field goal percentage, among the top three on the team in each stat. He is making a strong case for a consistent starting role despite the early challenge.

In his 35 minutes against the Toronto Raptors, Hart put up 20 points with 12 rebounds and seven assists toward the team's ultimate 116-94 victory, boosting them to a staggering 10-1 record at home.

Hart's Leadership

Hart's professionalism during his stretch in a diminished role set a great example to his teammates, and it didn't go unnoticed by the team's new coach. Hart knows that the good of the team comes first, and at the time, he talked about fighting the instinct to rage against the diminished role. Hart continues to put the team first, no matter what it means for his playing time.

New York Knicks guard Josh Hart Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

"When you're a leader, you have to show that or embrace those types of things more than everybody else cause you got to set the example and if somebody steps out of the realm of what our standard is because you did it as a leader, now you can tell them, ‘Hey, come back over here because we all got to do this. I had to go through it, you may have to go through it, this guy may have to go through it,’" Brown said.

"So, he's a special player, but he's also a great human being to be around.”

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: