Knicks packed schedule catches up to them in sloppy home loss to 76ers

The Knicks’ legs just weren’t there. And their monthlong tour de force experienced a rare hiccup as a result. Returning home for the first time since Dec.7, they looked like a side on the back end of a busy and intense slate of games with plenty of travel. They turned the ball over 18 times, shot just 25 percent from 3-point range and fell to the 76ers 116-107 Friday night at Madison Square Garden. The loss snapped a seven-game winning streak and marked just their second loss in their last 13 games.

It was also just their second loss at home all season. “These guys are human,” coach Mike Brown said.“But at the end of the day, we try to pride ourselves on being a no-excuse team.

We’re gonna go out and play to the highest possible standard, or the highest possible level.Most times, we’ll probably have it, but tonight we didn’t. “Chalk it up, hopefully, as a learning experience.” Down six with under a minute left, they had a chance to corral a loose ball and cut their deficit to one possession.

But there was a miscommunication between Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, allowing VJ Edgecombe to grab it and dish to Tyrese Maxey, who drilled a corner 3-pointer for the dagger.It was that kind of night. Friday was the second leg of a back-to-back, having played and beaten the Pacers in Indiana on Thursday — where they traveled after nearly a week in Las Vegas for the NBA Cup semifinal and final.

That Vegas trip followed a trip to Toronto. Sometimes, there are simply schedule losses. “Their last game was probably five or six days ago,” Hart said.“You always gotta give yourself grace.

It’s an up-and-down season.I’ve been in games like this, games where you feel you can’t find it.

When the game’s right there, and it’s just one extra-effort play, and you feel like you just can’t get that extra-effort play.It happens.

It’s a long season.”  Sign up for Inside the Knicks by Stefan Bondy, a weekly exclusive on Sports+....