The New York Knicks had the best defense in the 2026 NBA Playoffs. They allowed the fewest points per game and had the lowest (best) defensive rating. Whether it was CJ McCollum, Tyrese Maxey, Donovan Mitchell, or Victor Wembanyama leading their opponents' offense, they eventually found a way to shut them down.
Team's starting centers are typically credited with anchoring their defensive efforts, particularly when they result in an NBA Championship. Karl-Anthony Towns has yet to receive any of those flowers. It's likely, in part, because of the large gap between the realities of Towns' grit and toughness, and his perception amongst fans that largely follow the league online. His "soft" reputation as a poor defender follows him, regardless of how much film and data contradict it.
The rest, though, may have to do with the defensive insulation that Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby give Towns on a nightly basis. Andre Drummond is about to step right into that same spot. And the "Wing Stop" duo the Knicks can put around him should certainly help him impact the game as a rebounder, without hurting New York too much as a defender.
Can the Knicks' defensive insulation help Drummond break new ground?
Defensively, the 76ers were a middle-of-the-pack team last year. They had the 17th-best regular season defensive rating, according to the NBA, and the third-worst out of every playoff team. The Knicks' second-round shellackings likely contributed, disproportionately, to that figure.
Even then, Drummond graded out as a 74th percentile defender with regard to his estimated plus-minus on that end, per Dunks & Threes. Philadelphia had young, long defenders like VJ Edgecombe and Trendon Watford patrolling the perimeter last season, which may have helped mitigate Drummond's shortcomings on that end of the court.
The big man was certainly far from perfect defensively. He barely played against the Knicks in the second round, in part because the duo of Towns and Jalen Brunson made it difficult to play Drummond without bleeding points. He committed 12 fouls in 35 minutes in the series.
But New York might be uniquely positioned to help him out. They have one of the NBA's best supply of paragons of perimeter protection, from Bridges and Anunoby in their starting lineup to Miles "Deuce" McBride.
Landry Shamet was secured on a team-friendly, four-year extension this offseason. Even Mohamed Diawara should come back into the rotation, after being cut from the team's playoff push, and have a year of NBA experience under his 7-foot-4 wings.
The Knicks don't need Drummond to save the world. They just need him to back up Towns for about 15 minutes a night, with the possibility for more when the All-Star gets into early foul trouble. If Drummond can't hang, New York can address the center position further in the trade or buyout markets.
For now, though, they should be trying to involve the Mount Vernon native in as many solutions as possible. Surrounding him with some of the league's best perimeter defenders will be an inherent start.
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