Tracy McGrady reveals persistent issues with slumping Knicks defense
The New York Knicks entered the 2025-26 campaign with championship aspirations, but a severe mid-season tailspin has exposed glaring cracks in their foundation. Following a demoralizing 114-97 loss to a depleted Dallas Mavericks squad—missing superstars Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis—NBA Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady offered a scathing assessment of the team’s current trajectory. Appearing on NBC’s NBA Showtime, McGrady did not mince words regarding New York's defensive regression under head coach Mike Brown, pinning the blame on a complete erosion of the team's culture.
According to the seven-time All-Star, the Knicks have lost the gritty identity established by former coach Tom Thibodeau. “The identity is gone,” McGrady declared during the broadcast. “Last year, they had an identity. Thibs was all about defense. It was structured around the defense.” McGrady pointed to specific on-court lapses that were nonexistent during the team's run to the Eastern Conference Finals last season, specifically calling out star center Karl-Anthony Towns for being frequently out of position and captain Jalen Brunson for allowing easy perimeter blow-bys.
The statistics starkly support McGrady’s eye test. Once a top-tier defensive unit that suffocated opponents, New York has plummeted to 20th in defensive rating, a precipitous drop that has directly contributed to a brutal stretch of eight losses in their last ten contests. The distinct shift from Thibodeau’s rigid, personnel-fitting schemes to Brown’s current system has left the roster looking disjointed, with McGrady noting that the previous structure masked individual deficiencies that are now being exploited nightly.
Beyond the tactical breakdowns, McGrady hinted at a deeper concern: internal discord. He suggested there is "friction in the locker room" that must be ironed out immediately if the Knicks hope to salvage their standing as a legitimate contender. With the Madison Square Garden crowd raining boos down on the team and the All-Star break approaching, the pressure is mounting on Brown to rediscover the defensive intensity that once defined the franchise. If the Knicks cannot reconstruct their identity soon, their championship window may slam shut earlier than expected.
According to the seven-time All-Star, the Knicks have lost the gritty identity established by former coach Tom Thibodeau. “The identity is gone,” McGrady declared during the broadcast. “Last year, they had an identity. Thibs was all about defense. It was structured around the defense.” McGrady pointed to specific on-court lapses that were nonexistent during the team's run to the Eastern Conference Finals last season, specifically calling out star center Karl-Anthony Towns for being frequently out of position and captain Jalen Brunson for allowing easy perimeter blow-bys.
The statistics starkly support McGrady’s eye test. Once a top-tier defensive unit that suffocated opponents, New York has plummeted to 20th in defensive rating, a precipitous drop that has directly contributed to a brutal stretch of eight losses in their last ten contests. The distinct shift from Thibodeau’s rigid, personnel-fitting schemes to Brown’s current system has left the roster looking disjointed, with McGrady noting that the previous structure masked individual deficiencies that are now being exploited nightly.
Beyond the tactical breakdowns, McGrady hinted at a deeper concern: internal discord. He suggested there is "friction in the locker room" that must be ironed out immediately if the Knicks hope to salvage their standing as a legitimate contender. With the Madison Square Garden crowd raining boos down on the team and the All-Star break approaching, the pressure is mounting on Brown to rediscover the defensive intensity that once defined the franchise. If the Knicks cannot reconstruct their identity soon, their championship window may slam shut earlier than expected.
