NEW YORK — New York Knicks coach Mike Brown couldn’t pinpoint whether Sunday was the Knicks’ best defensive performance of the season — but it certainly felt like it.
Not only did the Knicks snap the San Antonio Spurs’ 11-game winning streak in a rematch of the NBA Cup final from Las Vegas, but they held the Spurs to a season-low output in a 114-89 win.
Except for the first few minutes, when the Spurs took an early 12-point lead, the Knicks were dominant throughout, their latest strong performance over the past week or so. Brown admitted the defense was “high level.”
“Even the games we haven’t scored a lot of points, like at Chicago and then Houston, our defense has gotten better,” Brown said. “We had five guys on a string,”
The Knicks shut down Houston in the fourth quarter a week ago in a dramatic comeback and gave up 99 points to Chicago on the road before losing decisively to Cleveland.
Sunday’s performance makes the Knicks’ loss to the Cavaliers look like an anomaly, at least for now. In the past month, the Knicks have been fifth in defensive rating (107 points per 100 possessions).
The Spurs shot 50% and nearly 38% from 3-point range in February, their best offensive month of the season — and the Knicks simply smothered them at Madison Square Garden, holding them to just 26.5% from 3.
Victor Wembanyama had 42 points and 18 rebounds in his first visit to Madison Square Garden last Christmas Day, but was held to 25 points and 13 rebounds. He committed seven of the Spurs’ 22 turnovers.
Brown said the Knicks weren’t going to change much of what they’ve been doing defensively just for Wembanyama, and they stayed out of foul trouble for most of the day.
“Obviously, he’s an extremely talented individual, but you know, for us, we have to continue to make strides defensively,” Knicks forward Josh Hart said. “I know offense is good, and we’re going to keep getting better, and we have talented guys [on defense]. We have to make sure we bring that and hang our hat on that.”
Mikal Bridges was engaged on both ends and had one of his best all-around games this season. Bridges had 25 points, including five 3-pointers, and added five rebounds and five steals — many of them leading to transition baskets.
It was his highest-scoring output since a 30-point outing Jan. 28 against Toronto, and he averaged 14.4 points in February.
“They’re a really good team, and you have to bring your ‘A’ game,” Bridges said. “We have a lot of guys who can score so sometimes touches might be limited. But I try to control what I can control, and that’s bring energy on both ends.”
That has been a common theme for the Knicks this season, with Brown deepening his bench and implementing his offensive system. Earlier in the season, Bridges was deployed more as a playmaker to diversify the offense.
“Just been a process, new coach, new system, defensively, offensively, not only that, new team or guys behind them,” Brown said of Bridges. “Guys don’t always get the minutes and or the shots that they want. Our first standard is about sacrificing, and everybody in that room is willing to sacrifice to make sure that we’re trying to achieve one common goal, and Mikal is one of those guys.”
Hart, one of the vocal leaders and best defensive players, said they have to play playoff defense consistently.
“I think it’s just another example of where we can be defensively,” Hart said. “So, we got to continue to build off this and not have lulls at this point. You know, it can’t be up and down.”
