It’s hard to point to defense as the difference for the Knicks on a day when Damian Lillard had 29 points and nine assists while hobbling around the court much of the game. But it wasn’t any three-point barrage or unstoppable scoring that carried them this time.
It was a harassing, stifling defense that forced the Portland Trail Blazers into six fourth-quarter turnovers. The defense keyed a run to build a lead of as many as 15 points and helped hold off any heroics from Lillard. The Knicks (11-13) worked to get the ball out of Lillard’s hands and held on for a 110-99 win at Madison Square Garden on Saturday afternoon.