Knicks Showing They Can Lean On Defensive Side Of Ball To Win Games

It was another defensive clinic for the Knicks.

In New York's 111-95 win over the Raptors in Toronto on Tuesday night, the Knicks held their opponent to under 100 points for the 11th time in their last 19 games. And the Knicks needed that defensive intensity as their offense went stagnant at moments in this one, allowing the upstart Raptors to hang around and even get as close to two points in the fourth quarter.

After going into halftime with a 10-point lead, the Knicks scored just 19 points in the third, allowing the Raptors to cut into the lead heading into the final frame. Knicks coach Mike Brown credited the defense for not letting the game get away from them.

"We came out the third quarter... couldn't score the ball like we did in the first half, but we hung in there defensively," Brown said after the game. "And to hold a team like that that kicks out and runs in transition the way they do to 37 points in the second half, is a pretty good half defensively. We got to hang our hat on that end of the floor and our guys are doing it, they're doing it with physicality first and then trying to go get that ball off the glass second."

The Knicks limited the Raptors to just 13 fastbreak points for the game, and after Raptors star Brandon Ingram scored 26 points in the first half, he only scored five in the second half. A huge reason for that was Josh Hart's defense on the forward, earning him the team's defensive player of the game.

"Josh Hart was phenomenal in a lot of different areas," Brown said. "50-50 balls, guarding different guys. Skills, deflections, you name it. Josh seemed like he was everywhere tonight on that end of the floor."

During this stretch of defensive dominance, Karl-Anthony Towns' play on that end of the floor has seemingly improved as well. Not known for his defense, the Knicks big man had a block and a steal -- which led to a breakaway dunk -- but his defensive presence has not gone unnoticed. 

Brown was asked about Towns' contributions on defense and whether there's a correlation between the team's defensive success and the big man's improved intensity on that side of the ball.

"It's been huge. Again, I say this all the time, one guy can't guard one other guy in the league," Brown said. " It's almost impossible, especially when they do call fouls. And in the way the floor is spaced. It's tough to do that, and so you have to have five guys on a string. The game right now is space and pace, and everybody looks at KAT like, 'oh, you can't do it.' Well, he can do it. 

"He's showing he can do it, and we need him to continue to do it. Whether it's in the pick-and-roll, coming back in transition, coming over to help from the weak side or guarding this guy in a one-on-one situation. He's been fantastic."

Brown pointed out Towns' communication on the floor as a big factor. Towns is so loud that Brown can hear his big man talking to his teammates constantly, and because he's the big and can see everything from the back side, it helps the team as a whole and it showed. 

The Raptors scored just 13 points in the fourth quarter, as the Knicks went on a 16-2 run to end the game and improved to 4-0 against the division rival. They'll go for the season sweep of Toronto on April 10 at home.

And despite the offensive struggles in the third, Brown was encouraged by Tuesday's win overall and reiterated that leaning on the defense is important.

"We feel like we can score. It was a good offensive game, shooting 56 percent from the floor, 32 assists, but we didn't play well, especially offensively in the second half," Brown said. "To be able to know that you can hang your hat on that end of the floor is going to be huge for us because the ball doesn't always go in the hoop."

The Knicks hope to continue their defensive dominance when they host the defending champion Thunder on Wednesday night.