Josh Hart’s return provides glimpse of Knicks system’s true potential

The boxscore was a sight to behold.

The Knicks scoring was incredibly balanced in their 123-114 win over the Trail Blazers on Sunday in Portland. All five starters scored at least 18 points — 26 from Jalen Brunson, 24 from OG Anunoby, 20 from Karl-Anthony Towns and 18 each from Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges. Four of them shot over 50 percent from the field, with Hart a hair short. Brunson, Hart and Bridges each dished at least six assists.

This is the potential for the starting lineup when it is firing on all cylinders.

“We got guys that can score, so it’s not surprising,” head coach Mike Brown said. “I didn’t know all five guys had at least 18, but all those guys can pass, dribble and shoot, and they’re all unselfish. And so that’s the thing that makes it exciting for our team. When we have those guys all together, they’re a lethal starting five, and they’re a lethal group when they’re together. Great things from Josh as well as the rest of the group tonight.”

It’s also something that was largely missing without Hart. He is the string that connects the Knicks.

Anunoby and Bridges are talented shooters and scorers, not initiators. Their primary role in Brown’s system is to stay in the corner for catch-and-shoot 3-pointers. That requires a ball handler to break down the defense, force it to collapse and create open looks.

Playing without Hart for eight games, the Knicks reverted back to heavy Brunson usage and isolation with little ball movement. Anunoby and Bridges, in particular, struggled as the Knicks went 3-5 in Hart’s absence.

• CHECK OUT THE LATEST NBA STANDINGS AND KNICKS STATS

Anunoby’s scoring contribution was well over his 15.6-point average while Hart was out of the lineup. Bridges’ scoring average sat at 12.4 ppg in that time. It’s not a coincidence each scored more in Portland with Hart back.

The Knicks invested heavily in those two, along with Towns, to be a strong supporting cast for Brunson. Brown’s system is designed to take pressure off the point guard. The Knicks vision for NBA title contention is to have the ability to hurt opponents in a plethora of ways. With their connector back, that depth was back on display.

“Having him back was good,” Brown said. “Even having him back helps with our pace because he gets out and runs, he throws it ahead, and he pushes the ball at an extremely fast pace, and so we get easy baskets when we’re able to play like that.”

That increased production from teammates allowed Brunson to be a bit more selective with shots and have the ball in his hands less. He shot 52.6 percent from the field Sunday, more efficient than all but one contest in that eight-game stretch.

Beyond Brunson, more balanced scoring meant Brown was able to keep Towns on the bench down the stretch of the game and have better defenders on the floor with Miles McBride and Mitchell Robinson. There was less reliance on Towns to score with Hart getting Anunoby and Bridges involved. The pair combined for 17 points when Towns was on the bench for the final 9:24 of the game.

“I’m just really happy to have him back,” Brunson said of Hart. “He’s worked his butt off, obviously, trying to get back. He’s a big part of what we do, regardless of what people say and all that stuff.”