New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown highlighted his team’s defensive performance after a 116-94 victory against the Toronto Raptors on Sunday at Madison Square Garden.
“While trying to guard the basketball… to hold a group like this to 94 points speaks a lot about us defensively tonight,” Brown said, noting the Knicks’ ability to limit transition opportunities and force tough possessions.
Brown emphasized the importance of securing loose balls and crashing the glass. “There were nine 50/50 balls and we came up with all nine… we have 25 offensive rebounds for 22 second-chance points,” he said, praising the contributions of Josh Hart, Karl-Anthony Towns, and the Knicks’ guards.
Hart played a central role, delivering 20 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists. Brown credited his physicality and leadership on both ends. “He just brings a level of physicality that is irreplaceable… reminds me of Davion Mitchell in terms of guarding the basketball,” he said.
Mikal Bridges and Miles McBride also impressed Brown with their defense and spacing. “Mikal did a hell of a job on Ingram… our weak side was really good, and even our ability to challenge shots at times was pretty good,” the coach explained.
Brown praised the team’s adjustment to bigger workloads amid injuries. “When you’re missing guys… guys are going to have to play extended minutes… eventually it will start balancing out a little bit better,” he said, noting the Knicks’ disciplined rotation.
New York opened the game with a 41-22 first-quarter advantage, leveraging physicality on the glass and efficient shooting. Toronto trimmed the deficit to 70-67 in the third, but the Knicks responded with a 16-1 run led by Hart and Bridges to secure control.
Defensively, the Knicks limited the Raptors to 42% shooting and just 17 points in the fourth quarter. New York also dominated the boards 61-40, with Mitchell Robinson contributing 15 rebounds off the bench.
Brown highlighted the team’s collective effort on both ends. “Team defense… you need to have against great players like Ingram, Barnes, and Quickley… our team defense was really good,” he said, acknowledging contributions beyond individual stats.
With the win, New York improved to 13-6 and 10-1 at home, extending their winning streak to four games. The Raptors fell to 14-7 and will host Portland on Tuesday, while the Knicks travel to Boston for a road matchup that same night.
