Opinion: Josh Hart ejection biggest story in pre-season win in Abu Dhabi

Josh Hart (YouTube)

The New York Knicks beat the Philadelphia 76ers 99-84 in Abu Dhabi on Thursday. Sorry that I did not pay too much attention to this game. However, I would show more interest watching a ladybug on my patio than watching preseason sports action.

The big news from this contest in the Middle East was the fact that Knicks forward Josh Hart was actually ejected for throwing the basketball toward the opposite end of the basketball court after an altercation with Kennedy Chandler of the 76ers. The fact that Hart got ejected was possibly a win for the Knicks. After the ejection, Hart was seen limping off the court and dealing with a lower back ailment according to the Associated Press. By getting ejected, it would not have impacted Hart’s back any further. The bottom line is keeping players healthy is the most important thing in preseason games. It trumps the actual result by a zillion percent.

We also saw Mike Brown begin coaching the Knicks. It will be interesting to see the adjustments he makes in New York from a tactical and philosophical perspective after the franchise surprisingly fired Tom Thibodeau after reaching the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals.

This was the first of five NBA exhibition games this season taking place outside North America. The Knicks and 76ers play again Abu Dhabi on Saturday. Also on Saturday, the Orlando Magic are facing the Miami Heat in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Then on October 10 and 12, the Brooklyn Nets are facing the Phoenix Suns in Macau.