The New York Knicks will begin their season shorthanded, as both Josh Hart and Mitchell Robinson have been ruled out for Wednesday’s opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Hart remains sidelined with lumbar spasms, an issue that has kept him off the court for nearly three weeks. The versatile forward has been limited since suffering the back injury during preseason play and has yet to resume full team activities.
Meanwhile, Mitchell Robinson will also miss the contest as part of ongoing left ankle injury management. The Knicks continue to take a cautious approach with their starting center, who has dealt with multiple lower-body injuries in recent seasons.
“Neither one practiced today, but we’re going to keep monitoring them, and I’ll get with the medical staff and we’ll see what we’re going to do,” head coach Mike Brown said on Tuesday, emphasizing that the team’s priority is ensuring both players return to full health before rejoining the lineup.
In addition, Karl-Anthony Towns has been listed as questionable for the opener due to a right quadriceps strain, adding further uncertainty to New York’s frontcourt rotation heading into their first game of the 2025–26 season.
Josh Hart, Mitchell Robinson Out For Season Opener Versus Cavs; Karl-Anthony Towns Questionable https://t.co/1OaZnA1EHZ
— RealGM (@RealGM) October 22, 2025
