The Knicks know theres another gear they have to get to

DETROIT — A reasonable tally of the best six players in this series would include five Knicks.They entered with the talent advantage over the Pistons, with two All-Star starters and an offense that ranked in the NBA’s top-5. But every night turned into a struggle heading into Thursday’s Game 6.

The victories were as difficult as the defeats.They had outscored the Pistons by a combined one point while leading the series, 3-2. Their offense was stuck in the mud, with too many Houdini acts from Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges. Possessions rarely felt smooth.The good news, according to Josh Hart, is the Knicks were operating at well-below optimal, which means they theoretically should have a much higher gear.

Given how the Pistons series unfolded before Thursday, they would need much better to compete in the next round against the Celtics.“Not at all (have we played our best basketball).Not even close,” Hart said.

“I think we’ve had spurts where we’ve played very well and then we’ve had spurts where we’ve played terrible — i.e., that third quarter (in Game 5). “So we have to make sure we find ways to keep good flow and good rhythm all the way throughout the game.That’s playing faster, that’s making them make decisions, and when you make teams make decisions you put them in a position to make mistakes.

When you put them in that position then you can counter and make them pay for those mistakes.That’s something that we’ve got to do, we’ve got to play with more pace and make sure we get everybody involved with (Jalen Brunson), (Towns), but also Mikal and OG (Anunoby), go out there and hoop.

I think that’s the biggest thing — play with pace throughout the whole game and put them in positions to make mistakes.”Hart always harps on quickening the pace and it certainly suits his strengths in transition.But the Knicks should have advantages in other areas given their personnel, with Brunson, Towns and Bridges all capable of...