Ripple effects of Josh Hart's potential Game 2 absence for Knicks at Cavaliers in 2023 NBA playoffs

Update: Josh Hart's status for Game 2 was updated from doubtful to questionable on Tuesday morning.

CLEVELAND -- The Knicks are 17-6 with Josh Hart in the lineup this season.

They’ve outscored opponents by 183 points when Hart is on the court.

If they don’t have Hart for Game 2 against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday, they’ll have a huge void to fill.

Here are the potential ripple effects of Hart’s absence:

BIGGER ONUS ON GRIMES?

Here’s what the NBA’s advanced tracking data says about the Knicks’ defense against Donovan Mitchell in Game 1. Mitchell went 1-for-6 from the floor (1-for-4 beyond the arc) and scored six points when Quentin Grimes was his primary defender. Grimes defended Mitchell for a team-high 7:29, per the NBA tracking data.

Hart defended Mitchell for 4:57. Mitchell scored 17 points (7-13 shooting) when Hart was his primary defender, per NBA tracking data.

If Hart misses Game 2, it’s fair to assume that Grimes will defend Mitchell as often -- or more than -- he did in Game 1.

The Knicks’ second-year guard said he wouldn’t feel any more pressure if Hart couldn’t play in Game 2.

“I don’t think it’s really any more pressure. I feel like I’ve been guarding the best player from the other team the whole season. So I feel like it’s just another night, for sure,” Grimes said Monday. “Just the stakes are a little bit higher. I’m just going to come in a little more sharper probably just knowing that if (Hart) doesn’t play, I just have to be more alert at all times, whenever (Mitchell is) on the court. Whether I got Darius or Donovan.”

Grimes, though, expects Hart to try to play on Tuesday.

“I know (Hart is) a fighter, he’s going to try to give it a go for sure. So I’m not even really worried about that,” he said.

WHAT ABOUT RJ?

If Hart is out, maybe that means more RJ Barrett on Donovan Mitchell in Game 2? According to NBA tracking data, Barrett defended Mitchell for eight possessions in Game 1. Mitchell scored three points on 1-for-3 shooting in that span.

Of course, the Knicks aren’t going to single-cover Mitchell throughout Game 2. They are probably going to throw many different looks at the Cavs’ All-Star.

“You’re not gonna to give a guy like Mitchell a steady diet of anything, because he’s seen every defense there is,” Thibodeau said on Monday. “He still has the ability -- you can defend him great and he can still make (the shot). But it’s your decision making by everyone else behind, too. So, it’s the ball, the paint, react out, cover the line, then we gotta finish our defense and know that there’s multiple things that are required on each play.”

If Hart can’t play on Tuesday, the Knicks will also have to fill the void left by one of their most efficient scorers.

Hart had 17 points on 8-of-11 shooting in Game 1, including a game-saving three-pointer with 1:49 to go.

It’s reasonable to expect New York to get more scoring from Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and Grimes. Those three shot a combined 3-for-21 in Game 1.

Barrett drew criticism for his shooting in Game 1. He went 2-for-12 (1-for-5 on 3-point attempts).

This is what Thibodeau said on Monday when asked about Barrett’s play in Game 1: “The bottom line is winning the game. So if you don’t shoot well, do some other things. Hustle, get stops, his size is important. The rebounding component is big. The ability to challenge shots, that’s a big part of it as well. How he fits into the team scheme.”

Thibodeau may have been referring to two loose balls in Barrett’s vicinity that were retrieved by the Cavs. But Barrett defended Darius Garland well in Game 1. Per NBA tracking data, Barrett defended Garland for seven minutes in Game 1. In that span, Garland scored just two points and had two turnovers.

“Tried to make it as tough for him as much as I can. Got a couple steals,” Barrett said. “Felt like I had a good game defensively overall. But he’s an All-Star, he’s a really good player so he’s going to have his moments.”

Barrett also led the Knicks with six assists and four steals on Saturday.

“I had a bad shooting night. But I pretty much did everything else well,” he said on Monday. “So it wasn’t a horrible game. I feel like I definitely helped the team win.”

MORE MCBRIDE?

It’s a small sample size, but lineups with Miles McBride have had some success against Cleveland. He is plus-24 in 22 minutes against the Cavs this season. If Hart is out, it’s reasonable to expect some minutes for McBride, who has proved to be a strong team and individual defender.

HOUSE MONEY?

The Knicks’ Game 1 win gains value if Hart is out for Game 2. If they’d lost Game 1, Game 2 would almost be a must-win. But they’ve already earned -- at worst -- a split of the first two games. So if Hart can’t play in Game 2, he’ll have an extra two days to recover ahead of Game 3 in New York. And the series will be either 1-1 or 2-0. So the Knicks can err on the side of caution with Hart’s ankle and give him extra time to heal ahead of Game 3.