Back to the New York Knicks Newsfeed

Knicks' defense saves the day again in ugly win over Magic

Orlando Magic center Khem Birch and Knicks guard RJ Barrett (9) fight over control of the ball during a floor scramble as Knicks forward Julius Randle, left, looks on during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game, Monday, Jan. 18, 2021. Credit: AP/Kathy Willens

After the Knicks’ one-sided victory Sunday Tom Thibodeau joked that he wasn’t happy unless he was miserable. But somewhere amidst the work and the endless film-watching there had to be a little smile of nostalgia for the Knicks coach.

After holding the Celtics to 75 points Sunday, he had the Knicks back at work early Monday morning, running through a hard pregame shootaround and then the Knicks were at it again, arm-wrestling their way to a 91-84 win over the Orlando Magic, the back-to-back wins providing a throwback to better days of hard-defending Knicks teams.