Knicks are Rolling — But Now Come Real Tests

The New York Knicks are preparing for a much tougher stretch after enjoying a successful run. They are embarking on a four-game road trip, carrying an impressive seven-game winning streak. However, all these recent victories were against teams with losing records, and in fact, all but one were against teams at least 23 games below .500. Their only win against a slightly stronger opponent, the Warriors, came when key players Stephen Curry and Draymond Green were out.

Following their victory over the Pelicans at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night, Josh Hart commented on the team's performance, stating, "Good teams win games that they’re supposed to." He acknowledged the unpredictable nature of the league, adding, "Obviously anyone in the league can beat you on any given day." Hart expressed satisfaction with their current form, noting, "It feels good. Obviously we got a tough nine or 10 games left to finish the season. It’s all in preparation."

Indeed, their upcoming schedule is considerably more challenging.

First, they face the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday, a team that has been on an impressive run, winning 22 of their last 28 games.

Next, they travel to play the reigning champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder. This time, the Thunder will have their All-NBA guard Jalen Williams back in the lineup, who was absent when the Knicks suffered a close defeat to them earlier in the month.

Following that, a game against the Houston Rockets awaits, before concluding the road trip with a seemingly easier match against the struggling Grizzlies.

Underlying these upcoming contests is the intense competition for the second seed in the Eastern Conference against the Boston Celtics. As of Wednesday, the Knicks were only marginally behind the Celtics, with an opportunity to surpass them if Boston were to lose to the Thunder.

Is the team closely monitoring the conference standings?

Hart responded, "Maybe a little bit," but indicated it was "still kind of early." He acknowledged "a cluster of teams that are really close in the standings," suggesting he'd start paying closer attention "in like four or five games."

After roughly two weeks of playing against lower-ranked NBA teams, the Knicks are now entering the final, crucial phase of the regular season.

While strong regular-season finishes don't always guarantee playoff success, it would be highly beneficial for them to hit peak performance as the postseason draws near.

In related news, Landry Shamet will miss his third consecutive game on Thursday due to a right knee contusion.