The going is tough. The Knicks have to be tougher. With just 12 games left to determine playoff seeding, New York owns the NBA’s sixth-toughest remaining schedule, according to Tankathon, a website dedicated to tracking NBA Draft Lottery odds. And they’ll have to navigate it without either of th eir point guards. Jalen Brunson (right ankle sprain) and Miles McBride (left groin contusion) remain sidelined, leaving a massive playmaking void. The Knicks are down two ball handlers and staring down one of the most grueling final stretches in the league. Only Phoenix, Detroit, San Antonio, the Lakers, and Utah face a more difficult schedule to end the season. QUALITY OF OPPONENT, COMPOUNDED BY PACE The Knicks still have two matchups with the East’s No. 1-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers — one on the road (April 2), one at Madison Square Garden (April 11). Both games are part of back-to-backs for New York. The second is also the second leg of a back-to-back for Cleveland. In total, eight of the Knicks’ final 12 games come against teams either in playoff position or fighting for Play-In spots. That includes the reigning champion Boston Celtics (April 8), the No. 6-seeded Pistons (April 10), and a tricky back-to-back against the Atlanta Hawks and Phoenix Suns (April 5-6). New York is 0-3 against Boston, 0-2 against Cleveland, and 1-2 against Detroit this season. But it’s not just the opponent quality — it’s the relentless pace of schedule. The Knicks face four sets of back-to-backs over their final 12 games. Their current stretch includes six games in nine nights (Mavericks, Clippers, Bucks, Blazers, 76ers, Cavaliers), followed by two days off, then five games in seven nights to close the season. That includes back-to-backs in Atlanta-Phoenix and Detroit-Cleveland, with a season finale across the river at Brooklyn. That’s 11 games in 16 nights — brutal for any team, let alone one already on short legs. BALANCING ACT: WINNING GAMES VS. PRESERVING HEALTH Even in a 19-point win over the NBA-worst Washington Wizards, Tom Thibodeau had to push the starters. Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart each played 38 minutes, Karl-Anthony Towns logged 37, and Cameron Payne played 30. OG Anunoby added 31. The Wizards cut a 33-point lead to just four in the fourth quarter, forcing Thibodeau’s hand. Off the bench, Thibodeau used only four players: Mitchell Robinson, Landry Shamet, Precious Achiuwa, and rookie Tyler Kolek, who logged a team-high 18 minutes among reserves. With Brunson still not practicing and McBride nursing a lingering groin issue, Thibodeau will need to balance urgency with caution. Pushing starters too hard now could mean playing without them in April. That may mean extending the bench — even if history suggests otherwise. Outside of Kolek, the Knicks have veteran PJ Tucker, who’s always ready to run through a wall, and 24-year-old MarJon Beauchamp, a 6-7 wing who defends with energy and has shot 35.5% from deep in limited minutes. There’s also rookie Pacome Dadiet, the No. 25 pick in the June draft, who has spent most of the year developing in Westchester. Thibodeau has traditionally kept a tight rotation. But this schedule might demand improvisation. EASTERN CONFERENCE PRESSURE MOUNTING Meanwhile objects in the rear-view mirror are closer than they appear. The Indiana Pacers, currently fourth in the East, are just 2.5 games behind New York and have won seven of their last 10. A three-game swing could push them past the Knicks in the standings. Some might argue that slipping to the No. 4 seed — setting up a first-round matchup with Milwaukee and a potential second-round with Cleveland — is more favorable than facing Detroit and then Boston. But Milwaukee and Detroit are only a half-game separated from one another. The Knicks aren’t worried about hypotheticals. At least not yet. Their priority: survive this stretch, get healthy, and peak in April. With the sixth-hardest schedule in the NBA and their backcourt in street clothes, the road won’t be easy. But if the Knicks manage this stretch right, they just might enter the postseason at full strength — and ready to make a run. ...read more read less