John Starks Says Knicks Rediscovered Defense in Four-Game Run

john starks says the Knicks have gotten back to their DNA, and the four-game winning streak has been built on defense first. He said the turnaround has come from the kind of physical, connected play that championship teams need.

Starks At Madison Square Garden

Speaking Wednesday at BTIG Charity Day, about seven hours before Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the 76ers at Madison Square Garden, the former Knicks guard said the defensive edge has changed everything. “I see that they have gotten back to their DNA — and that’s defense first,” Starks said.

He added that the Knicks have tightened up on that end of the floor and that “it’s made all the difference in the world.” The run has also carried a sharp scoring balance: 95.5 points allowed per game during the streak, with 129 points scored per game at the other end.

Knicks Playoff Pace

Starks said the Knicks are “back to playing physical, rebounding, getting out on the break, sharing the basketball.” That list lines up with the way he described this stretch overall, saying they are doing everything that “a championship-quality team does.”

For a former guard who played in 18 playoff series with the Knicks, the current pace stood out. He said he “can’t remember anything like” the heater that helped the Knicks eliminate the Hawks and take a 1-0 lead on the 76ers.

Four-Game Winning Streak

The record behind the praise is simple. The Knicks have won four straight, kept opponents to 95.5 points per game in that stretch, and scored 129 points per game while moving into a 1-0 series lead. That leaves their defense at the center of the run, not just their results.

Game 2 gives the Knicks a chance to keep the same formula in place. If they keep defending at this level, Starks’ case is clear: the run is being driven by the part of the floor that has defined their best teams before.