New York Knicks wing Josh Hart says he is "not in a good headspace" after he was held scoreless and benched for the fourth quarter of Friday's 106-104 NBA Cup loss to the Indiana Pacers.
Hart is averaging a career-low 7.3 points per game early in the season as he has been hampered a sore ankle and illness. He hasn't scored more than 10 points since Oct. 25 -- a six-game stretch for him -- and was 0-for-4 from the field against the Pacers.
"Wish I could tell you," Hart told reporters about how he could fix his issues. "Don't know. Right now I'm not in a good headspace, and I got to figure out how to improve that and improve my play."
Hart is one of three Knicks players off to notably slow starts this season. Mikal Bridges, who was benched in previous games, found a rhythm by going 8-for-12 for 18 points against the Pacers, while OG Anunoby languished through another 4-for-13 night, telling reporters he's "not sure" why he is struggling to make baskets near the rim.
Hart had hoped to reach an extension with the Knicks before the season, but New York announced Oct. 9 that it was tabling all contract talks with Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Friday's loss dropped the defending champion Knicks to 6-6.
"Just have to be better," Hart told reporters after Friday's game. "Have to be better mentally. I just gotta get my mental right."