As the playoffs loom closer, the New York Knicks are slowly beginning to lose grip on their momentum. Consistency has been their biggest problem. Following Monday’s dominant blowout win against the Heat, they failed to deliver the same outcome last night as they faced the thirteenth-seeded Spurs. And Josh Hart blamed their grueling schedule for the Knicks’ recent struggles.

Well, the New York team fell into an early 28-point deficit despite the Spurs missing Victor Wembanyama and other key stars. Sure, the Knicks tried to muscle a comeback and even cut down the lead to single digits. But the hole was too deep to come out of. Addressing the tough loss, Hart revealed a major locker room concern postgame, “We’ve had a tough schedule last couple weeks, going on the road for a week and a half. Come back National TV game, right into back-to-back where we lose an hour. So, we knew it was gonna be tough. We just weren’t there physically or mentally. Fatigued.”

Of course, Hart has all the right to complain about fatigue because he is among the league leaders in minutes played, at 37.7 per game. A lot of it is because of Tom Thibodeau’s coaching style. And it looks like the high usage has begun taking a toll on Hart and other Knicks star’s bodies, which was evident from their performance against Spurs. Last night, Josh struggled on offense, finishing with only 2 points on one of four shooting.

He also addressed how keeping up with a young Spurs squad posed a massive challenge, “We knew this one was gonna be tough. You know young hungry team, plays fast obviously.” Unfortunately, the schedule is not going to get any easier for the Knicks as they face the Hornets tonight in a back-to-back encounter. Adding to their concerns, they have to do it without their best player – Jalen Brunson!

Josh Hart details struggle amid Jalen Brunson’s absence as Concerns rise for Knicks ahead of playoffs

Of course, a major reason behind the Knicks’ recent inconsistency is the absence of Brunson. Earlier this week, he was diagnosed with a right ankle sprain after taking a nasty fall during the Lakers clash. Turns out, he will remain sidelined for at least two weeks before further re-evaluation. An exhausted Hart revealed how JB’s absence has affected the team, “We have to play make for each other and put each other in good situation to be successful. We knew that was gonna be the struggle without JB. But you know we gotta make the game easier for each other. I feel like we didn’t do that today.”

Well, Brunson has been their primary ball handler and playmaker all year, averaging over seven assists. Without him, the Knicks’ offense has looked a lot less dynamic. Sure enough, this could be a major problem heading into the playoffs. Despite being the third seed, the Knicks have failed to enter the discussion of title contenders – mainly due to their 0-7 record against the 50+ win teams. With Brunson out and fatigue taking over, their chances of making a solid playoff run are starting to look even bleaker.

Maybe, coach Thibs needs to consider changing his strategy and give his bench players a chance to prove their mettle while the starters get some rest before playoffs. Thoughts?