The Knicks have the NBA's sixth-best defensive rating over the past month.
In the four-plus months prior to that, New York ranked 16th in defensive efficiency (points allowed per 100 possessions).
That's a large discrepancy.
When you ask players about the defensive jump, there's one factor they cite most often: Mitchell Robinson.
Robinson's season debut was Feb. 28, following a lengthy rehab on his surgically repaired ankle/foot.
The Knicks wanted to bring him along slowly, have him healthy and in rhythm by the time the playoffs rolled around.
It seems like things are trending in the right direction.