The New York Knicks will have three more opportunities in April to improve their performance against the top two teams in the Eastern Conference standings.

Currently, they are winless in five encounters against the Cavaliers and Celtics this season, following back-to-back road losses over the weekend. When including two additional defeats to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Knicks have yet to secure a victory against these teams, with a disappointing overall record of 0-7.

With an alarming average defeat margin of 20.1 points in these matchups, can we realistically expect the Knicks to close this gap this season? The team has high ambitions of advancing further in the playoffs after facing two consecutive second-round exits.

“It’s essential for us to recognize that these three teams are performing exceptionally well against everyone,” longtime ESPN analyst Tim Legler shared with The Post. “However, considering the Knicks’ heightened expectations after last season and the recent trade for [Karl-Anthony] Towns, this becomes the benchmark for the team.”

“How do we compare to the Celtics? How do we stack up against the Cavs? And even the Thunder? The Knicks have not fared well, and it comes down to their offensive capabilities matching those teams. The real difference lies in those teams’ defensive pressure, speed, and commitment, aspects that the Knicks currently lack.”

TNT analyst and former Knicks player Greg Anthony echoed the sentiment, acknowledging that the third-seeded Knicks have yet to reach the level of the league’s elite teams.

“I’ve never viewed this season as a championship-or-bust scenario for the Knicks. However, I do believe they’ve set themselves up better for future competition,” Anthony conveyed to The Post. “If this season concludes prematurely, [Knicks president] Leon Rose and the front office will need to assess the reasons behind it and identify areas for improvement.”

“From observing the games, it’s evident that they need to enhance their defense, build up their depth, and inject more athleticism into the lineup. That much is clear.”

After witnessing the Knicks suffer a 37-point defeat against the Cavaliers, Legler anticipated that Tom Thibodeau’s squad would demonstrate resilience and establish their competitiveness against the Celtics.

“Yet they found themselves down by 20 in the opening quarter,” Legler noted, serving as an analyst for ABC during Sunday’s game. “While they made a brief comeback in the second half, it’s apparent that these three teams are exceedingly difficult to defend against, and the Knicks are not an elite defensive unit.”

“When you pit an average defensive team against any of those three when they’re in peak form — whether or not Boston was fully engaged earlier this season, they definitely are now — you can encounter significant score disparities in these matchups.”

“The question then becomes: what’s the solution?” Legler continued. “Addressing these issues is challenging, mainly because much of it relates to personnel.”

Both analysts agreed that the Knicks could benefit from the anticipated return of center Mitchell Robinson, who is recovering from ankle surgery sustained last May. Still, Legler cautioned that it may not be feasible to expect Robinson, who has had injury challenges, to make an immediate impact.

Legler also highlighted that Towns has become a target for opposing teams in ball-screen situations far from the basket. “These particular teams can exploit that effectively. That’s a primary strategy for Boston,” he remarked. “The key difference is they have five players who can execute that strategy at a high caliber and shoot convincingly.”

“This forces the Knicks’ other defenders into rotations, overwhelming them. These matchups have clearly showcased this trend.”

The Knicks (37-20) are set to face a struggling 76ers team at Madison Square Garden this Wednesday, followed by seven of their next eight games on the road.

The Knicks will make one final visit to Cleveland on April 2 and are scheduled to host both the Cavaliers and Celtics at Madison Square Garden later that month before the playoffs commence.

“Ultimately, your performance against top-tier teams will define your standing. To succeed in the postseason, you’ll need to compete with and defeat them,” Anthony remarked. “The Knicks haven’t done well in these matchups, but I believe they have more potential than what their current performance reflects.”

“Defensively, they haven’t met the standards usually associated with Tom Thibodeau-coached teams. It’s evident they still need to bolster their defense and overall depth. I truly appreciate their starting lineup featuring [Jalen] Brunson and KAT offensively, yet there’s significant work ahead to narrow the gap.”

In other news, Josh Hart was fined $2,000 by the NBA for flopping during the third quarter of Sunday’s game.