Karl-Anthony Towns makes Josh Hart NBA-All Star pitch

Tom Thibodeau noted last week the tough process for NBA coaches to select only seven All-Star reserves in each conference, but first-time starter Karl-Anthony Towns attempted to make a case for do-it-all teammate Josh Hart to be included when rosters are announced Thursday night. 

“I told y’all I want to ruin his whole break. I want him to be right there with us playing basketball,” Towns said of Hart after Monday’s win over the Grizzlies. “He said he wants to put his toes in the sand? Eff that. We ain’t doing that. I want him to be an All-Star.” 

It’s probably unlikely to expect the Knicks (31-16) to get a third All-Star pick with so many deserving candidates in the East, but the 6-foot-4 Hart is averaging 13.9 points and career highs in minutes (37.8), rebounds (9.8), assists (5.7), steals (1.5) and field goal percentage (.555). 

Towns believes his teammate deserves to join him and fellow starter Jalen Brunson in San Francisco for All-Star weekend Feb. 14-16. 

“I think he does,” Towns said. “He’s one of the most crucial parts of the team with the [third-] best record in the East. I think Josh Hart is the heart and soul of this team. I know everyone wants to pick other people, but I think when you’re in this locker room, you know what he brings to our team, and there’s so many things that Josh Hart does. 

“I’m super happy the stat sheet is showing the work he puts in but there’s so much more that he does that doesn’t come up on a stat sheet that’s so important for us. Regardless of how everything plays out if he’s with me and JB on that Sunday, one thing he can know during that break is he deserves to be there and we all in this locker room feel like he does. If coaches give him the nod or not, he’s an All-Star in our minds.” 

Towns and Brunson are joined as starters by Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum and Donovan Mitchell, with the likely reserves to be selected from a group featuring Evan Mobley, Darius Garland, Jarrett Allen, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Trae Young, Cade Cunningham, Tyler Herro, Damian Lillard, Pascal Siakim and others. 

The Knicks haven’t had three All-Star selections in one season since Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley and John Starks were tabbed in 1993-94, and before that, Bill Bradley, Dave DeBusschere and Walt Frazier in 1972-73. 

Mikal Bridges still leads the NBA in minutes per game (38.4), but he’s averaged just 32.5 during the Knicks’ four-game winning streak since Thibodeau increased an eight-man rotation to nine by adding Landry Shamet.

None of the starters have logged more than 36 minutes per game over that stretch. The bench has posted a net-rating of (+15.2) in the four games, and the reserves combined for 52 points Monday against Memphis. 

Hart has been listed as questionable for a third straight game with right knee soreness for Wednesday night against the Nuggets.