Knicks Defense Improves in Win Against Pacers

The New York Knicks looked much stronger on the defensive end of the floor in their 123-98 win against the Indiana Pacers than they did in their first game of the year.

Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau prides himself and his teams on being defensive-minded, so he was definitely pleased with New York’s effort against Indiana.

“I love the way our guys responded to the game,” Thibodeau said h/t Posting and Toasting. “Just I thought the fight was a lot greater, the togetherness, and I thought helping each other out was a lot better. And so as the communication improves, I think we are still a work in progress, we have to get a feel, but the way we played together, and guys did a lot of different things.”

The Knicks are still trying to forge an identity and chemistry, and that will take time given the new additions on the roster. Games like the one against the Pacers, however, help create one as time goes on.

Karl-Anthony Towns is also a big believer in that theory.

“Listen, if we play defense the way we played tonight—we haven’t had any problems scoring the basketball, but the defensive side—if we can have an identity, I think that we could be a really good team and we could do some magical things,” Towns said.

Among the last 26 teams to win an NBA title, all but two were ranked in the top 11 in defensive rating. Only the 2023 Denver Nuggets (15th) and the 2001 Los Angeles Lakers (22nd) won a championship despite not meeting that criteria.

So, if the Knicks want to join that club, they need to start building their defensive identity.

The Knicks will have a chance to continue improving on that side of the ball on Monday when the Cleveland Cavaliers come to Madison Square Garden.

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