Knicks' Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart Discuss Pressure of NBA Title Defense Amid Slow Start

New York Knicks stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart each acknowledged the pressure of defending their 2026 NBA title in recent interviews with ESPN's Vincent Goodwill.

After opening the season with three straight losses, the Knicks have won three of their last four games in a 3-4 start that included two losses to LeBron James and the Philadelphia 76ers.

"We're in New York. Everything rides on the next game," Hart told Goodwill. "We go on a 10-game winning streak and the next game we lose, they're ready to burn the place down. We know what it is. It's the tough part of being in New York."

Towns said, per Goodwill: "At the end of the day, people knew, when LeBron and the big three were there, you had to go out there and beat them. Everyone brings their best against the New York Knicks. You've got to protect the jersey, the city at all costs."

The Knicks most recently got off to a slow start Monday night against the Brooklyn Nets before heating up in the fourth quarter to extend an intracity winning streak dating back to 2023.

Nets-Knicks Highlights

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Hart acknowledged after the loss the Knicks were still dealing with their early-season "issues" despite ultimately pulling off the win over the Nets.

He also indicated, not for the first time, he and his teammates are feeling some fatigue after winning a title in mid-June and celebrating over the summer.

"In the summer, obviously you're working out, you're doing that, but then you also enjoy the fruits of the labor of winning in terms of going to brands, going to do appearances... That takes a little bit of a wear on you. And then you get it into it, so sometimes your body has to kind of catch up," Hart told reporters after Monday's win.

The Knicks are currently sitting eighth in the Eastern Conference after their sub-.500 start to the season. The defending champs will look to continue climbing back up the standings starting with a Wednesday night home game against the Chicago Bulls.