The New York Knicks' closeout blowouts already have them amid historic company. They may also be coming with a hidden cost, which Josh Hart revealed to reporters at the team's practice facility on Wednesday.
The Knicks' dominance has earned them plenty of extra time to rest, especially in comparison to their other Eastern Conference foes. Hart, somewhat unsurprisingly given his competitive spirit, told media that New York's break, while well-earned, feels almost punitively long.
Red hot Knicks earned plenty of extra rest. Will it cool them down?
"The first series, we had, what? Four days break, I think it was? That was good enough, yeah. This right now, I think, what, at least a week? If not nine days? It's a long time. Obviously, it's good for recovery. But mentally, I'm watching the games, I'm just like, just waiting. Just waiting to get back out there. It's a little long," Hart explained after Wednesday's practice in Tarrytown, per SNY.
The Knicks' first round series against the Atlanta Hawks was turbulent: certainly far from a smooth flight. Once the team turned things around, though, they were able to close the series out in six games. Every other series in the Eastern Conference went seven.
New York took the extra rest right into their sweep of the Philadelphia 76ers, closing them out similarly to how they did the Hawks: by a 30-point margin. That made the Knicks one of four teams, ever, to win several series-clinching games by 30 points or more; the first three all won championships that year.
Don't complicate it: extra rest is a good thing for these Knicks
As a result of the sweep, New York is in the midst of the extended period of rest and recovery that Hart alluded to. It makes complete sense why the indefatigable Swiss Army knife of a team with an active seven-game playoff win streak would want to be out there on the court.
Even if there's some rust to knock off once they get back in action, though, the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers are helping the Knicks out every time they extend their semi-final series.
Two-way star OG Anunoby missed the final two games of the Sixers series with a strained hamstring. The Knicks can only be grateful that they earned the wing some extra time to heal up.
They should feel the same way about center Mitchell Robinson getting additional rest. The longest-tenured Knick was held out of back-to-backs during the regular season in an effort by the team to maintain his health to, and throughout, the playoffs.
The big man has had some trouble staying in Mike Brown's lineups because of opponents' willingness to put him on the free throw line. Outside of missing Game 2 against the Sixers with what the Knicks said was an illness, though, he's been healthy thus far.
The week off gives New York's award-winning staff of trainers and doctors the best chance possible to prepare their guys for battle against either the Cavs or Pistons. It's a good thing. Don't overthink it.
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