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Mar 20, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) during the first quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Knicks Weekly: Playoff Spot in Sight During Homestand

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Geoff Maggliocchetti | Last updated Mar 24, 2025 11:30 AM ET

Despite some stumbles last week, the New York Knicks are capable of clinching an official playoff spot this time around at Madison Square Garden:

Where the Knicks Stand

(x-Clinched at least Play-In Spot)
(y-Clinched Playoff Spot)

Despite an ugly week, the Knicks are closing in on one of the Eastern Conference's automatic playoff spots and will likely have it before this month lets out. Once again, any discussion about playoff positioning comes with the obvious disclaimer that the Knicks have larger aspirations in mind but every little bit helps, of course.

Following Saturday's win over Washington, the Knicks are guaranteed to host at least one postseason game at Madison Square Garden, whether that's Game 1/3 of an Eastern Conference quarterfinal series or a Play-In portion, though it likely won't come down to the latter. The magic number to clinch an automatic six-spot entering this week is down to 3.

Alas for New York, the prior week's losses allowed Indiana to inch a little closer to the third seed, as they're three games back with 12 contest remaining on each docket. The Knicks do have the benefit of a 2-1 win in the season series against the Pacers if it were to come down to a tiebreaker. Despite a few upsets up and down the top of the Eastern standings, they're still on pace to play the Detroit Pistons in the first round.

Last Week: 2-2

Still working without Jalen Brunson, the Knicks endured one of their most frustrating weeks in recent memory.

If there was one thing the modern Knicks could be counted on to do, it was handle business against subpar competition. Last week, however, featured dumbfounding losses to San Antonio and Charlotte in a speedy back-to-back on the road. Losing to the a Spurs group propelled by the unexpected heroics of Sando Mamukelashvili is one thing but falling to the lowly Hornets, especially in such one-sided fashion, has to go down as one of the most perplexing Knicks happenings in quite some time.

Even the Knicks' bookending wins were far from flawless: an eventual blowout win over Miami was a comeback effort after a sleepy opening period while a Saturday showdown against the woebegone Washington Wizards became far more interesting than it had any right to be. A 33-point advantage in the third quarter was whittled down to four before metropolitan sanity was restored to the tune of a 122-103 final.

Josh Hart Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Player of the Week: Josh Hart

(9.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 2.3 steals)

Hart's stats were, admittedly, pedestrian by traditional standards, but any time a Knicks manages to match Walt "Clyde" Frazier deserves special recognition.

In Monday's win over Miami, Hart posted his eighth triple-double of the season, tying the mark the Knicks' two-time champion and longtime color commentator set during the 1968-69 campaign. He needed less than three quarters to pull off the latest feat, as the three-pointer that sealed the deal was one of the last contributions of a 24-6 run that established the game's lasting blowout nature.

Honorable Mentions

Karl-Anthony Towns: 27.5 points, 42.1 three-point percentage, 9.3 rebounds
Mikal Bridges: 21.3 points, 51.7 field goal percentage, 5.0 assists
Mitchell Robinson: 9.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.7 blocks
Cameron Payne: 9.0 points, 42.1 three-point percentage, 4.8 assists

They Said It

"We can make all the excuses in the world. There are highs and lows in a season, no one's 82-0. But the way that we're losing games is embarrassing. So we've got to find a way to right the ship. We've got to come out next game with more intensity, more desperation .. It starts with myself. As someone who's supposed to bring energy, I've been atrocious the last several weeks. So we have to get our minds prepared for the end of the season."-Josh Hart on the Knicks' struggles after Thursday's loss to Charlotte (h/t New York Basketball on X)

This Week

Anthony Davis Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Tuesday: Dallas

(7:30 p.m. ET, MSG)

The annual visit from Brunson's original employers looks drastically different this time around: even without the infamous Luka Doncic trade, the seemingly-cursed Mavericks (34-37) have endured several other medical calamities (i.e. the season-ending loss of Kyrie Irving) that have put them in danger of missing the postseason entirely. Help may be on the way for the meandering Mavs, as Anthony Davis, the prime yield of the Doncic trade, may make his way back in time for the Manhattan project. Dallas is seeking its third straight season sweep of the Knicks, having previously taken a Doncic-less 127-114 decision back in November.

James Harden Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Wednesday: LA Clippers

(7:30 p.m. ET, MSG)

Despite losing head coach Tyronn Lue and assistant coach/Knicks fan favorite boss Jeff Van Gundy, the Clippers (40-30) have been one of the hottest teams in March, winning eight of their past nine. That tally includes a 105-95 triumph over the Knicks in the latter's maiden voyage to Intuit Dome on March 7, their first Brunson-less excursion in this stretch. James Harden has been particularly deadly: he began the Clippers' recent run with a 50-point showing against Detroit and is averaging 29.2 with 9.2 assists over the impressive nine.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Friday: @ Milwaukee

(8 p.m. ET, MSG)

For the all the (at least somewhat reasonable) pearl-clutching over the Knicks' record against elite competition, they've handled business especially well against the Milwaukee Bucks, one of the teams chasing them for the third seed. They've won the first two meetings by a combined 56 points, including a 140-106 shellacking at Madison Square Garden in January. Since then, the Bucks (40-30) have gone 20-13 and acquired Kyle Kuzma and Kevin Porter Jr. through deadline deals while overcoming the loss of the suspended Bobby Portis. Alas, there will be no reunion tour for Portis' fellow former Knicks Jericho Sims, who is dealing with a thumb injury that stifled his Milwaukee momentum after he came over in another deadline barter that sent Delon Wright to Manhattan.

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

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