Mar 29, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) walks down the court during the first half against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center. Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Josh Hart Shares Harsh Assessment on Knicks' Recent Play

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Kenneth Teape | Last updated Apr 1, 2026 5:31 PM ET

There have been a lot of ebbs and flows throughout the 2025-26 NBA regular season for the New York Knicks.

However, things still are not clicking at this point in the campaign is a major concern. Their loss to the Houston Rockets was their third defeat in a row, and this doesn’t look like a team that is ready to contend for a championship with only six games remaining in the regular season.

It is something that players on the team are not thrilled about. One person who has been vocal about the Knicks’ recent performance is Josh Hart, who does not like the direction things are heading in down the stretch.

“I just think we’re not going in the right direction,” he said after a 17-point loss to the Rockets, via James L. Edwards III of The Athletic (subscription required). “We’re not trending upwards. We have to figure it out. Three tough ones. We have another one tomorrow, and that’s a must-win game for us. Then we’ll go from there.”

Josh Hart not happy with Knicks' recent performance

New York Knicks guard Josh Hart reacts after a call. Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

This wasn’t just a run-of-the-mill, end-of-season loss for New York after they clinched a playoff spot. Their issues run much deeper, as it is the fifth consecutive loss they have suffered against a team over the .500 mark.

March 6 was the last time the Knicks beat a team with a winning record, when they defeated the Denver Nuggets. There have been some cupcake opponents since that point, with a seven-game winning streak coming against teams not actively trying to win or barely in position for the Play-In Round.

Luckily, the game Hart is referencing is against the Memphis Grizzlies, who have already been eliminated from playoff contention and are more focused on lottery balls and the offseason than winning games.

Alas, his quotes are concerning, especially this close to the playoffs. With only six regular-season games left, New York still has a ton at stake.

"We're not trending upwards"

After the Knicks' third-straight loss, Josh Hart says that tomorrow's game against the Grizzlies is a "must-win https://t.co/AYtmFObPC6 pic.twitter.com/0rB6rTXwyh
— SNY (@SNYtv) April 1, 2026

They are 2.5 games behind the Boston Celtics for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference and only one game ahead of the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are in fourth place.

Owning the tiebreaker over both of them is massive for seeding purposes; the Knicks need to do everything in their power to avoid a matchup with the No. 1 seed Detroit Pistons for as long as possible.

Beating up on non-playoff teams could give the team some confidence moving forward, but it won’t solve all of their issues. There are still fundamental flaws with this team, such as slow starts from the starting lineup, continuing to plague them.

If head coach Mike Brown is going to make a move to shake up his rotation, now is the time to do it. Getting guys comfortable in potentially new roles ahead of the postseason would be ideal.

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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