Knicks' Josh Hart Out for Game 6 vs. Pacers with Abdominal Injury After Exiting in 4Q

New York Knicks guard Josh Hart was ruled out of the team's Game 6 matchup with the Indiana Pacers on Friday night.

According to Fred Katz of The Athletic, Hart left in the fourth quarter and was later declared out due to abdominal soreness.

He previously exited the game in the first half due to the same issue, appearing in 31 minutes prior to his exit. Hart finished with five points, eight rebounds, and three assists on 2-8 shooting.

The 29-year-old has been a crucial part of the Knicks' current playoff run, averaging 15.8 points and 12.2 rebounds per game on 45.9/41.2/70.5 shooting splits in the postseason prior to Friday's action.

Hart's status moving forward is currently unknown.

His tenacity on the boards as well as his transition scoring have helped New York earn the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference and advance to the second round of the postseason. Hart averaged 8.3 rebounds per game in the regular season, the second-highest mark among guards in the association (via NBA.com).

The Knicks have dealt with a string of injuries that have affected them in the playoffs, leading to head coach Tom Thibodeau shortening his rotation. The team announced that All-Star power forward Julius Randle would need season-ending shoulder surgery on April 4, while trade acquisition Bojan Bogdanović suffered a foot injury during New York's first-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers that ended his season.

Backup center Mitchell Robinson sustained a stress fracture in his ankle that will sideline him for the rest of the playoffs, while OG Anunoby has missed each of the Knicks' past four games due to a hamstring issue.

Following the Pacers' win, New York will hope that Hart is able to return as the team hosts Indiana in Game 7 at Madison Square Garden. Tip-off is on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET.