Three keys to the Knicks' seven-game winning streak

 The Knicks have put together an unlikely streak that has them ascending the Eastern Conference standings. Their seven straight wins have been by an average margin of an astounding 16 points per game. The rise of the Knicks has stretched for 41 games, a run during which they are 27-14, among the best records in the NBA. But this latest streak has them dominating whomever is in their way. Here’s what’s changed: 

1. Minor move, major return — It may not have seemed like a star turn when the Knicks acquired Josh Hart at the trade deadline three weeks ago, but it’s no coincidence that they are 7-0 since the move. Hart was productive in Portland this season, starting 51 games and averaging 33.4 minutes. While he’s come off the bench and averaged 26.3 minutes for the Knicks, his impact has been massive. His offensive rating is 145 and he has achieved folk-hero status at the Garden, where he quickly endeared himself to the crowd with his defense and hustle, including diving into the stands Wednesday in a blowout win over the Nets. 

2. Robinson return — After sitting out 14 games with a fractured right thumb, Mitchell Robinson returned to the lineup after the All-Star break. The results have been evident in the standings, in the boxscore (four straight double-doubles) and in the team’s defensive effort. He ignited the one-sided win over Boston on Monday by meeting Jayson Tatum at the rim and smothering a dunk attempt, but he has been a defensive presence all season. His 9.7 on/off differential ranks third among centers, behind only MVP candidates Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid.  

3. Jalen Brunsodeau — That’s not a typo. Jalen Brunson and Tom Thibodeau have mind-melded on the court and off, with the point guard the team has been seeking for decades mirroring the spirit of the coach. Brunson, who was named the NBA’s Eastern Conference Player of the Month on Thursday, is the real-life incarnation of Thibodeau’s brain — a player who has through deeds, not just words, helped turn the franchise around. The scoring (27.9 points over the seven-game stretch, 29.1 points over the last 12, 28.8 over the last 25) has been perhaps slightly above expectations when the Knicks signed him, but the leadership has been evident from Day One. It’s the biggest reason this team might not be the easy playoff out the Knicks were two years ago.

By Steve Popper

steve.popper@newsday.com@StevePopper

Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.