After a mid-January slump that saw the New York Knicks drop four straight games, the tide is turning once again at Madison Square Garden. That losing streak, which included a stretch without Jalen Brunson, raised some eyebrows-not because the team was missing its star point guard, but because the rest of the roster still had enough talent to sneak out at least one win. But the skid stopped at four, and since then, the Knicks have flipped the switch.
Now riding a three-game winning streak, capped by a gritty win over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night, the Knicks are showing signs of the team they were earlier this season: disciplined, defensively tough, and locked in on both ends of the floor.
The turnaround hasn’t just been about shots falling or players getting healthy-it’s been about focus, especially on the defensive end. And that’s something Jalen Brunson, the team’s emotional and tactical leader, emphasized after the win over Sacramento.
“Our attention to detail, our focus. Those are big components for us,” Brunson said. “We have the ability to be a really good team if we do those things.”
Now, Brunson isn’t exactly known for his defense-he’d be the first to admit he’s not the stopper on this squad-but his leadership sets the tone. And over the last three games, that tone has been all about accountability and effort.
The defensive numbers speak for themselves. The Knicks held two of their last three opponents under 90 points, including Sacramento, who managed just 17% shooting from deep (5-of-30) on Tuesday night. Yes, the Kings are near the bottom of the league in three-point percentage, but 17% is a testament to the Knicks’ perimeter pressure and defensive rotations.
They did lose the turnover battle in that game, which points more to some sloppiness on offense than anything lacking on defense. But overall, the Knicks are starting to look like the team Tom Thibodeau has been trying to mold-hard-nosed, defensively sound, and unafraid to grind out wins.
That said, there’s still room to grow. The Knicks currently boast the ninth-best scoring defense in the league, but their defensive rating still sits in the bottom half. That’s the kind of stat that keeps Thibs up at night, and it’s one the team will need to improve if they want to make a serious run in the East.
One of the more noticeable shifts has come in the frontcourt rotation. Mitchell Robinson’s increased involvement has added a much-needed defensive presence in the paint.
His ability to alter shots, control the glass, and anchor the defense has made a real difference. Meanwhile, Karl-Anthony Towns-who brings undeniable offensive firepower-has seen his minutes trimmed.
Towns can stretch the floor and score in bunches, but Robinson’s defensive impact is simply more aligned with the Knicks’ identity right now.
With the playoffs inching closer, the Knicks are climbing again. They’re just a game back of the Boston Celtics for the No. 2 seed in the East and are set to face the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night in a matchup with real implications for the third seed. The margin for error is slim, but the momentum is back-and so is the defense.
If the Knicks can keep this level of focus and intensity, they won’t just be a tough out in the postseason-they’ll be a legitimate threat.