When the New York Knicks prioritize defense above all else, there are few teams in the NBA that can hope to defeat them. That could come across as an ambitious or even salacious statement, but the truth about the Knicks is that they've been legitimately dominant when they've played well on defense.
With a winning percentage of .903 when they allow fewer than 110 points, the Knicks have a weapon they can wield against any opponent they face: The ability to dominate defensive battles.
The Knicks have held opponents to fewer than 90 points in five different games this season. They've gone 5-0 during that time. Expand the search ever so slightly and they've allowed fewer than 100 points in 15 of their outings in 2025-26.
Continuing the trend of being legitimately unbeatable in said scenarios up to this stage of the season, the Knicks are 15-0 when allowing fewer than 100 points.
That alone would offer reason to believe the Knicks' defense is strong enough to give them a realistic shot at a championship. What makes their dominance so compelling, however, is that you can stretch those numbers surprisingly far and find that New York is almost unstoppable when it's playing up to its potential on defense.
Case in point: The Knicks are 28-3 when they allow fewer than 110 points. In other words: If they even have a good night on defense, it's all but guaranteed they'll win.
Knicks are 28-3 when they allow fewer than 110 points
The alarming counterpoint is that the Knicks are just 18-22 when opponents manage to score at least 110 points. In an NBA that has just four teams allowing fewer than 110 points per game, that's an admittedly concerning fact.
When one factors in how games tend to slow down, become more physical, and rely more on defense in the playoffs, however, one can't help but feel as though the Knicks are built for greatness.
A season ago, the Knicks allowed fewer than 110 points in eight of their 18 postseason games. They ranked No. 13 in defensive rating in 2024-25, however, compared to their steady rise to elite status at No. 5 during the 2025-26 season.
More importantly, the Knicks are allowing just 108.5 points per 100 possessions since Jan. 1 and 107.7 since Feb. 1—thus suggesting they can fall within the range of their magic numbers in the playoffs.
If such transpires, then the Knicks' path to a second consecutive Eastern Conference Finals appearance would be far easier to navigate. As it stands, they're due to meet the Orlando Magic in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs. Orlando ranks No. 17 in the NBA in offensive rating.
Regardless of which team they ultimately encounter in the playoffs, the Knicks will go as far as their defense allows them to.