New year, same Josh Hart.
The do-everything guard was at his best again for the Knicks in Wednesday’s 119-103 win over the Jazz at Madison Square Garden, putting up a triple-double for a second straight game.
With his 15 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists, Hart became the first Knick to put up back-to-back triple-doubles since Micheal Ray Richardson in 1981.
It was also just the fifth time in franchise history a player has pulled off the accomplishment in consecutive games.
The performance was all the more valuable with the Knicks shorthanded, especially at guard.
They played their first game of the season without Jalen Brunson, who sat out with calf tightness.
And after Miles McBride was originally announced as Brunson’s replacement in the starting lineup, he was scratched due to hamstring tightness suffered during warmups.
Hart did his part to make up for it, as he continued his increased role in initiating the offense and bringing the ball up the court.
Although veteran guard Cam Payne ended up starting at point guard in place of Brunson — and McBride — Hart helped run the show.
With the Knicks down a pair of playmakers, Hart said he opened the game more passive when it came to looking for his own scoring — with added focus on setting up his teammates.
Hart has also been in charge of the offense at times in his previous stops with Portland and New Orleans, but has embraced it more with the Knicks now that he’s become one of the main cogs of the offense.
“I’ve always done it a little bit [and] the last two or three years I’ve gotten more comfortable with the number of times I’ve done it,’’ Hart said.
Asked before Brunson was ruled out if his unavailability would impact Hart’s approach to the game, Hart said, “It doesn’t change mine at all. My approach is always to go out there and make the right play. Whether guys are in there or not doesn’t matter to me.”
He finished in strong fashion, as well, with a thunderous, two-handed dunk down the lane in the fourth quarter.
He’s shooting better from 3-point range this season, but what’s stood out even more is his nearly 70-percent mark on 2-point field goals.
That’s been buoyed by his ability to attack the rim, as he did Wednesday.
“The last several years, I’ve been struggling with my shot,’’ said Hart, who shot a career-low 31.0 percent from 3-point range a year ago. “You’ve got to do something, right? I’ve got to have the strength if I’m not knocking down 3s.”
With the presence of Karl-Anthony Towns, Hart said it’s opened up spaces for him to be even more aggressive.
“With [Towns] spacing the court, I know I’m gonna be able to get to the rim,’’ Hart said.
Head coach Tom Thibodeau previously praised Hart’s ability to control the offense in an effort to take some pressure off Brunson, even when healthy.
“He’s done it since he’s been here,” Thibodeau said. “I like the way Josh [plays] because of his rebounding and his ability to push the ball. I think those are the hardest fast breaks to stop. And so we want as many easy baskets as we can get. Want as many layups as we can get. And I think he helps initiate that.”
