The New York Knicks received bad news before the season opener, as two important players of the team, Josh Hart and Mitchell Robinson, will miss the game due to injuries.

Coach Mike Brown confirmed that the two players did not participate in Tuesday's training and will decide on their return time after evaluating with the medical team. The Knicks will face the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night, and the lineup pressure will increase sharply.

Hart was injured in a slip during the preseason opener against the Philadelphia 76ers in Abu Dhabi three weeks ago and played just seven minutes before exiting the game with lumbar spasms.

Hart has been recovering since then, and the team officially announced on Tuesday that he will miss the opening game due to lower back spasms. As an important forward and defensive puzzle for the Knicks, Hart's absence will have an impact on both offense and defense.

Robinson was sidelined for left ankle injury management. Although there were concerns about a possible recurrence of his injury, Brown repeatedly clarified that this was not a new injury but was for load management considerations.

Robinson underwent ankle surgery before last season and played in only 17 games after returning. Brown explained: "He missed too many games last year and we want to be more cautious with his playing time. If it is really necessary, he can play, but we don't want to take any risks."

The absence of the two puts the Knicks' inside and defensive system to the test. Brown had experimented with starting Robinson and benching Hart in the preseason, but now he must re-adjust the starting lineup.

Meanwhile, the Cleveland Cavaliers are also facing injuries, with starting guard Darius Garland and forward Max Strus both sidelined due to injuries, while De'Andre Hunter is questionable due to a right knee contusion.