Knicks cruise past Sixers in preseason opener as Hart suffers injury

The Knicks opened their preseason in Abu Dhabi with a win, but the mood was far from celebratory. Behind 12 points from Miles McBride and 11 from Karl-Anthony Towns, New York topped the Philadelphia 76ers 99-84 in the first of two exhibition games in the United Arab Emirates.

It was a tidy victory, one that gave fans a first glimpse of the new-look squad easing into game shape. But the storyline wasn’t about the scoreboard.

Josh Hart appeared to get injured and was ejected from today’s preseason game after throwing the ball into the stands pic.twitter.com/MVHAhJPp5N

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) October 2, 2025

The bigger talking point came in the second quarter when Josh Hart, already nursing a back issue, slipped after securing a defensive rebound while guarded by Kennedy Chandler. He fell awkwardly, immediately reached for his back, and limped off to the locker room in clear pain.

To make matters stranger, Hart was hit with an ejection after tossing the ball into the stands while down on the floor — though the call was largely insignificant with the Knicks cruising.

Hart’s injury casts a shadow over what should have been a smooth tune-up. His versatility and grit are vital to this team, and any setback — particularly involving his back — could be significant.

For now, all eyes will be on his status before these two teams square off again in the same arena in just two days. The Knicks may have gotten the win, but their real concern is whether they’ll have Hart healthy when the games begin to matter.