After trading in Karl Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges, the New York Knicks were primed for success at the beginning of the 2024-25 season. The Knicks have held their ground for a while, but lately? They’re not looking like a winning team anymore. Sure, they’re still third in the East, but here’s the problem—they’re 0-7 against top-tier teams like the Celtics, Cavaliers, and OKC. That’s a huge red flag, especially with the playoffs looming. And if there’s one person who’s definitely not okay with this? Jalen Brunson.

Speaking candidly on the Roommates Podcast, Brunson said, “Our record against the top teams in the NBA, pretty horses—“.  He continued, “The frustrating part about all this is that like we have what it takes, we have the personnel, we have everything we need in that locker room. We just got to put it together.”

The Knicks’ struggle is heartbreaking not just for fans but for Brunson and others, too. “The amount of times we’ve been embarrassed on national television, that should ring a bell,” Brunson said, urging the team to address the major flaws in their play. “That should be a wake-up call in itself… We got to wake the hell up.”

On the other end of the Knicks’ spectrum is Josh Hart, who has emerged as a leader in the locker room. He believes the current rough patch could be a blessing in disguise if the team uses it to grow.

“I think it could be taken two ways. It can be extremely beneficial because it could put you in a position of being humbled and realizing like we have a lot of room to grow, you know, if we want to compete with these guys and in this team. Or you know it could kind of break teams and you think like oh we’re not as good as these people or all these teams,” Hart said.

Continuing with his contrasting perspective, Hart is confident with the Knicks being in the ‘humbling’ zone. The forward is confident when it comes to the players and their ability to compete against elite teams. “We got to go out there, and we got to put forth the effort every game and every possession and not concede easy baskets or, you know, start the game off slow or anything like that. We got to start pushing ourselves to the limit on both ends of the Court, um, which is why I’m not really panicking with that stat,” he revealed on the Roommates Show.

Hart only wants the team to not lose hope and break their spirits. He only wants everyone to learn from their experiences and move forward, even when it is the reigning champions ahead of them.

Jalen Brunson and Co. can’t stay hung up on the Celtics

Prior to their third game against the Celtics, the reporters were curious. They wanted to know how the Knicks dealt with their previous losses to the team. It was two double-digit losses, after all. However, Hart’s reaction caught them off guard. “We’re not really worried about those past games, nothing we can really do to get it back. Gotta make sure we lock in on the scouting report and execute,” he said.

Hart’s comment was misunderstood by many. He wasn’t downplaying the Celtics as a team to beat—because let’s be honest, with the way the standings are shaping up, a playoff clash feels inevitable.

But here’s what he meant—he doesn’t want the team to fall into “complacency” by fixating on just one opponent. The big picture matters, and putting all their focus on Boston could leave them unprepared for the other battles ahead.

“I’m not sitting there like oh, we have to beat these guys like we have to. I want to be where they are. No. I want us to be the best team we can be and, I and that team can compete with those guys 100%, but I’m not obsessed with the fascination of we have to close a gap on the Boston Celtics,” Hart explained.

What Josh Hart doesn’t want? The Knicks getting obsessed with beating the Celtics. In his mind, fixating on one team could actually hold them back from reaching their full potential—even if they do eventually take down Boston. And honestly? He’s got a point.

Winning in the playoffs isn’t just about one matchup—it’s about constant adjustments and proving you can adapt to any challenge that comes your way.

But above all, the deeper you go into the postseason, the stronger willpower is necessary. It’s going to be one challenge after another. Hence, if they set their goals to beat the Celtics, it could possibly compromise their ability to respect the teams they could face further on. From a championship perspective, teams get the job done by viewing each opponent as a rival and studying them thoroughly.

Hart just wants to implement that atmosphere within the Knicks. There doesn’t seem to be much wrong with that at all.