New York Knicks: With an Emphasis on Defense, Can They Hang With East's Elite?

New York Knicks superstar Amar’e Stoudemire proclaimed that “the Knicks are back” when he signed his five-year, $100 million dollar contract this past summer. 

Knicks’ fans were ecstatic at finally having a bonafide star to call their own; they relished at the prospect of Stoudemire leading their team to an NBA championship.

Here we are more, than eight months later, and the Knicks have added yet another All Star in Carmelo Anthony, further inflating the hopes and expectations of fans. 

There’s only one problem though: the Knicks are not back.

Not yet.

New York has more than proved to be capable of battling the elite teams in the NBA with its current roster, but it has not proved that it can do so consistently.  There is something missing 

That something is defense.

Defense is a foreign concept for the Knicks players and fans alike.  Coach Mike D’Antoni’s system does not put an emphasis on defense, and it has been nearly a decade since the Knicks were considered a strong defensive team. 

Although defense may have started at the bottom of the priority totem pole, it has steadily risen to the top of the Knicks' to-do list.  It has become more than evident that the Knicks are not going to be able to make much noise without improving drastically on the defensive end.

Currently, the Knicks have the third worst defense in the league.  They are allowing their opponent to score almost 106 points per game, while also allowing them to grab almost 44 rebounds.

The only impressive statistic for New York on the defensive end is its six blocks per game. Stoudemire's two blocks per game are good for sixth in the league, but his and the Knicks shot blocking abilities have faltered as of late.

There is an upside, though.  

New York has shown, on occasion, that they can perform at a high level defensively.  They have not however proved that they can play tough defense consistently.

But what would happen if they did?  What would happen if the Knicks were able to hear the message that their fans and critics have been sending to them all season long?  What would happen if New York finally brought the intensity and effort on defense game in and game out?

Something special.

New York’s current roster has been dissected and critiqued to death, and it remains underrated to say the least.

Players such as Shawne Williams, Toney Douglas, Ronny Turiaf, Jared Jefferies and even Chauncey Billups often get overlooked.  Everyone and their sister knows that Anthony and Stoudemire can bring the thunder, but the Knicks supporting cast, although thin, is lethal.

The only thing missing on the Knicks part, besides the absence of a contract extension for Donnie Walsh, is consistent effort on the defensive end. 

Once New York can play consistently tough defense, everything else will fall into place.  The days of blowing games against the lowly Cavaliers would be over, and teams like the Pacers would not stand a chance.

The Knicks are far from irrelevant in the Eastern Conference, but strong defense is the driving force that can push them over the plateau and into the land of the elite.  Inconsistent defense is the only thing preventing New York from moving up in the Eastern Conference playoff standings.

In fact, if the Knicks find a way to mesh on the defensive side of the ball, they would be on their way to the Eastern Conference finals and perhaps beyond.

No need to double-back, you read right.

New York has defeated Miami, Chicago and Atlanta twice this season.  And although they have not beaten the Celtics, both Boston losses came down to the wire.  As far as the Magic games go, the Knicks had control in each and let it wins slip through their fingers.

In each of the last meetings with the Celtics and Magic, the Knicks took leads into the fourth quarter only to collapse and allow their opponent to come back for the win.  

While hanging tough with Boston and Orlando is far from a consolation prize, it is proof of what this team is capable of.  If the Knicks had been able to maintain composure on the defensive end, they would have at least a combined record of 3-1 between these two teams instead of 0-4.

Furthermore, the Knicks have won against the Chicago Bulls two times this season and match up well against the current number one seed in the East.  Although many will note that the Bulls are a different team now then they were back in December, those victories are still impressive.

If New York can somehow buckle down on defense and find a way to contain Bulls sensation Derrick Rose, then it will be well on its way to a third victory when these two teams meet again in April.

Then we have the Miami Heat.  In the first two meetings between the two, New York was able to battle during the first half but disappeared in the second half, allowing the Heat to take over.

However, in the Knicks' most recent victory over Miami, defense won the game for them.  Watching that game was like watching a Heat versus Knicks game during the Patrick Ewing and Charles Oakley days.

The victory proved that the Knicks could play against the best in the East and come out on top.  It proved that they had the mental toughness and ability to play solid defense all game.

Stoudemire’s block on LeBron James in the final seconds was nothing short of spectacular, yet it was also a slightly unsettling reminder.

How is it that the Knicks don’t see a victory such as this one as a wake up call?  How have they not gotten the message on how important defense is?  How do they step up during crunch time against a team of Miami’s calibre and then follow it up less than a week later with an embarrassing loss to the lowly Cavaliers? 

It makes no sense.  

Losses against teams such as the Cavaliers and even the Pacers at this stage are unacceptable.  And the Knicks know this. 

As the regular season winds down, expect to see a Knicks team that puts a lot more emphasis on defense.  New York will find a way to mesh on the defensive end and once they do, they are going to be absolutely frightening to play.

The Knicks have already proved they can matchup against the elite teams with a less than mediocre defensive effort,  so imagine the success they will experience once their defensive issues are resolved.

In D’Antoni’s system you do not need to play great defense to be a legitimate contender.  All New York needs to do is play average defense and their offense will take care of the rest.

The postseason is rapidly approaching, and while many have written the Knicks off, I’m not quite ready to do so.

New York still has time to move up in the Eastern Conference standings, and once it gets its defense under control, it will do just that.

The Knicks have two games remaining with both the Celtics and Magic, and one with the Bulls—these games are of the utmost importance to this New York team.  These games will be a measuring stick for just how far they have come.

They have already proved that they can play competitive against the East's elite, but it's time that they prove that they can close out a game.

New York is going to put points on the board regardless of its opponent, but it has shown in its two victories against the Heat that its not necessary to score 100-plus points a game to get a win. 

As long as the Knicks remain focused on executing on defense as well as offense, there is no team in the East that they cannot match up with.

Should New York finally emphasize and stress the importance of defense, they will find themselves in a position to defeat teams like the Celtics, Bulls or Heat on a regular basis.

Can the Knicks win a championship this season?

Albeit unlikely, it is not impossible.

However, New York is currently knocking on the door of opportunity, where on the other side there lies an Eastern Conference finals appearance with the prospect of reaching the NBA finals this season.

And defense is the Knicks' key to unlocking said door.