The Enigma of the Shot: Josh Hart’s Quest for His Touch (It’s Not the Finger, He Swears)

Ah, the ever-elusive jump shot! For a professional basketball player, it's often a capricious beast, isn't it? One moment, it's a trusty companion, soaring through the net with satisfying swish after swish; the next, well, it decides to go on an unannounced sabbatical. For the New York Knicks' very own Josh Hart, it seems that beast has been particularly stubborn lately, and honestly, the man is ready to tackle it head-on.

You see, Hart’s three-point shooting, a weapon he wielded with impressive proficiency just a couple of seasons ago—hitting a very respectable 37.2% from deep for the Blazers, and then a solid 35.5% after joining the Knicks—has, shall we say, taken a bit of a nosedive. We're talking 31.8% last year, which, let's be real, isn't quite the mark of a sniper. But here's the kicker, the crucial detail: Hart insists, with conviction, that the culprit isn't the finger he famously injured. Not at all, he says. It's his legs, apparently.

It’s an interesting take, a decidedly human one. After all, it's easy to point to a tangible injury, something visible, something you can explain away. A bad finger, for example, makes a perfectly sensible excuse for a wayward shot. Yet, Hart, ever the pragmatist, seems to dismiss the notion. "The finger ain’t the problem," he told reporters during a recent session. "My legs are the problem."

This isn't just a casual remark; it’s a revealing insight into an athlete’s self-diagnosis. He believes the power and stability come from the ground up, and when those legs aren't quite beneath him, well, the shot, it just doesn't connect. It feels different, he explained, not quite right. And if you've ever played sports, you know that 'feel' is everything. When things don't feel right, they usually aren't.

So, what's the plan? Hart, true to form, is a worker. He's been putting in the hours, refining his technique, specifically focusing on—you guessed it—his lower body mechanics. It’s all about getting that proper lift, that consistent base, because in basketball, consistency is truly king. He’s back to basics, really, trying to rebuild that foundational strength and form that once made him such a threat from beyond the arc.

And, for what it’s worth, his coach, Tom Thibodeau, isn't sweating it either. Thibodeau, known for his no-nonsense approach and deep trust in his players, echoed a similar sentiment when asked about Hart's shooting. He noted that Hart is an incredibly smart, hard-working player, and frankly, those are the types of guys you bet on to figure things out. You just know Thibs expects nothing less than full effort, and Hart consistently delivers.

Look, the NBA season is a marathon, not a sprint. Players go through slumps, they battle injuries, both physical and, dare I say, sometimes mental. But for Josh Hart, the focus is clear: strengthen the legs, trust the process, and reclaim that shooting touch. It’s a testament to his dedication, really. And frankly, it’s exactly the kind of gritty determination that endears him to the Knicks faithful. We’ll be watching, hopeful that those legs bring the old swish back very, very soon.