By: Balt Chavez – Sports On Air Correspondent
In a dramatic turn during the Knicks’ preseason game in Abu Dhabi, Josh Hart was both injured and ejected in the same play — yet New York still came away with a 99-84 victory over the 76ers.
Hart, who had recently been recovering from surgery on his right ring finger, went up for a rebound about seven minutes into the game. He landed awkwardly in a tussle with Kennedy Chandler, clearly in visible pain, before firing the ball across the court into the stands. The flung pass drew an automatic ejection from the referees.
“I saw him down, and he looked like he was in considerable pain,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said. “He’s day-to-day. We’ll see how he feels tomorrow.” Brown later clarified that Hart’s injury was being treated as lower back soreness, and the team did not believe it to be serious.
Despite losing Hart early, New York held firm. The Knicks plan to monitor his condition closely as they proceed through the preseason in Abu Dhabi.
