John Starks said the Knicks have gotten back to their DNA, and he pointed to defense first as the reason for a playoff surge that has carried them into Wednesday night’s Game 2 against the 76ers at Madison Square Garden. He spoke to The Post at BTIG Charity Day about seven hours before taking his seat for the Eastern Conference semifinals matchup.
The Knicks were on a four-game winning streak when Starks made his comments, and the numbers backed him up. During that run, they were allowing 95.5 points per game while scoring 129 a night. Starks said they had picked it up on that end of the floor, and that it had made all the difference in the world.
Starks, who played in 18 playoff series with the Knicks, said the team was back to playing physical, rebounding, getting out on the break and sharing the basketball. In his view, they were doing everything that a championship-quality team does, and the recent stretch reflected that more than a hot offensive night or two.
That is what made the run stand out to him. The Knicks had already eliminated the Hawks and taken a 1-0 lead on the 76ers during the current playoff push, and Starks said he could not remember anything like the heater that got them there. For a Knicks great from the 1990s, the message was simple: this team is winning the way the old teams were supposed to win, with defense setting the tone and everything else following.
