SelbyCobra wrote:It's been said a bunch already in his tenure, but Hart really is a lot like Starks. What I love though is that it isn't a direct comparison between the two and their personalities, primarily because Josh is self-aware that he's playing a John Starks role. Anyone who remembers those 90's Knicks teams well knows that, while Starks was the heart and soul of the team, he was miscast as a #2 and had no guard rails to keep his fiery temper and emotional outbursts under control - he was sort of in new territory and given just enough rope to hang himself at times.
Josh knows Starks, has him as a mentor in the organization, and has an acute understanding of the boundaries of what being the heart and soul of a team means - something that John just didn't have. That role is so much more clearly defined in this day and age, and Hart has refined his own game since coming to NY in pursuit of excelling at it specifically. Hart wearing #3, talking sh*t, playing to the crowd, and doing everything that personifies hustle - and in big spots - while simultaneously knowing when and how to reel it in, calm it down, don't take the shot, make the extra pass, and not feel the burden on his own shoulders, is a beautiful thing.
Since becoming a Knick, Hart's minutes have gone up, but the rate at which he fouls has gone down. The rate of his scoring is not as high as it was earlier in his career, but his asst/TO ratio is the best it's ever been. He's had all 8 of his career triple doubles since becoming a Knick, and he's highly efficient. And he's done it all while diving, shoving, screaming, getting in the opposition's faces, playing to exhaustion, and then finding more to give when it matters most. As someone who grew up loving Starks, watching Hart fill that same space but with more measured control is really satisfying.
I have noticed Hart's shot selection has improved this season