The New York Knicks had a solid start to the season at 16-10, but their lackluster defense kept them from accomplishing what they are capable of. They have just the 16th best defensive rating in the league at 113.1.

The Knicks haven’t made much progress on defense yet

Injuries have played a role, with Precious Achiuwa missing the first 21 games of the season and Mitchell Robinson still a long way from making his season debut. Still, the team suffered uncharacteristic errors on that end of the floor early in the season.

Karl-Anthony Towns knows that strengthening defense is the key to success.

“It’s true what they say and I’ve seen it – they say offense wins games and defense wins championships. And it’s true. Just one example: Last year we reached the Western Conference Finals in Minnesota and it was the defense that got us there,” Towns said (h/t Posting and Toasting).

Defense was a key area that gave the Knicks problems early in the season. Despite having a top-three offense in the NBA, their inept defense has failed to differentiate them from other Eastern Conference contenders.

Towns was outstanding for the Knicks

Towns himself started the season a little slow defensively, but has improved since then. This season he is averaging 0.9 steals and one block per game and has the Knicks’ best defensive rating at 108.3.

By combining this improved play with his outstanding offense, Towns has put himself in the MVP conversation. He averages 24.8 points and leads the league in rebounding with 13.9, making his presence felt in all areas of the court.

The team’s defense has also slowly started to find its footing. The Knicks allowed their opponents the fewest points per game in December at just 102.7, and this month they have the second-best defensive rating at 106.7, with only the Oklahoma City Thunder having a better defensive rating.

They’ll be up to the task Thursday when they take on the red-hot Minnesota Timberwolves in their first regular-season game since the trade that brought Towns to New York in the offseason.