Josh Hart thinks Knicks can make noise in playoffs, but ‘can’t get

The Knicks wake up on Tuesday all alone in fifth place in the Eastern Conference. If they beat the Nets on Wednesday, they’ll be (at least) one game ahead of the sixth-place Nets with 18 games to play.

Anything can happen over those 18 games, but it seems safe to start thinking about the first round of the playoffs if you’re a Knicks fan.

In fact, it’s starting to become a topic of conversation within the locker room.

“I think we have a team that can make some noise. I think it’s a team that can make a run and surprise some people,” said Josh Hart after the Knicks’ sound win over the Boston Celtics on Monday. “We gotta continue building, but that’s something I’m extremely excited about, something that we all talk about a little bit.

“We try to take it game by game, but that’s definitely in the back of our mind. We want to keep pushing. We don’t want to make the playoffs. We want to make a run in the playoffs. I think that’s the biggest thing and I think we have the capability to do that. We have to continue to build and continue to grow. We can’t get complacent where we are right now.”

The Knicks don’t look like a complacent group right now. Tom Thibodeau’s team has won six straight games – the longest current streak in the NBA.

They are 2.5 games behind the fourth-place Cleveland Cavaliers.

If the Knicks can finish in the top six in the conference (or earn a spot via the play-in tournament), Hart believes this group would be a tough out in the playoffs.

“You got guys that are physical. Guys that aren’t afraid of the moment,” he said. “I feel like we have seven, eight starters. Honestly, I think (Immanuel) Quick(ley) is a starter, I think I can start. I think (Isaiah Hartenstein) can be a starter in this league.

“So we got depth. We have…