Josh Hart can’t possibly keep playing all 48 minutes, can he?

With Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby missing parts of games with injuries and Mitchell Robinson and Julius Randle likely being sidelined for the rest of the playoffs, Tom Thibodeau is running out of New York Knicks that he trusts to play major minutes. This, combined with his refusal to play the next man up, has Josh Hart playing some unprecedented minute totals.

As noted by ESPN, Josh Hart has played the entire game for the fourth time this postseason. This has tied the record for the most full games played, with Jimmy Butler who also got the record under the decision-making of the same Tom Thibodeau. Rather than open up the bench, the Knicks have decided to run an extremely short rotation with fewer options incoming as the postseason goes on.

As Thibodeau refuses to play Alec Burks and others big minutes, it's worth wondering if Josh Hart can continue to playing the entire game for the rest of the series.

Can Josh Hart keep up these enormous minute totals?

While Hart's Ironman status is incredible, at some point this could come back to bite Tom Thibodeau. Yes, injuries happen in basketball but withholding rest is going to take a toll on this team especially at the pace the Pacers play and with the physicality the Knicks have needed to win the first two games.

The franchise is already likely missing two top rotational veterans Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson for the rest of the postseason. We haven't yet heard an update on OG Anunoby and it's possible the injury he suffered in Game 2 could limit him going forward. Unless Hart gets some kind of time off in this series, it's easy to see a world where the starter isn't able to suit up for a game in this series against the Pacers or in a possible Eastern Conference Finals matchup against the Celtics or Cavaliers

Hart has been key in the postseason — averaging 18.0 points, 12.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.0 steals and 1.0 blocks across eight games. But if they keep asking hiim to do this across 48 minutes per game, something is going to give.