Stifling defense just one of the many factors fueling the red-hot Knicks’ stretch

The Knicks are the hottest team in the NBA, and a longtime Tom Thibodeau staple has been among the leading factors in their league-best 14-2 mark in January.

“De-fense, de-fense” has been a popular refrain at Madison Square Garden for decades, but the Knicks actually have reemerged as the top defensive team in the league via various statistical metrics over the course of the past month.

The easy answer, of course, is the trade with the Raptors two days before the New Year, with the 14-2 run coinciding with 2023 All-Defense designee OG Anunoby’s first game Jan. 1, although he has missed the past two with elbow inflammation.

But it’s certainly not the only reason the Knicks finished first in the entire league over this 16-game segment in defensive rating (104.8), net rating (15.7), opponents’ field-goal percentage (43.9 percent) and points allowed (100.1 per game).

“I think our guys are playing hard,” Thibodeau said after the Knicks extended their winning streak to eight Tuesday night against the Jazz. “They’re defending, they’re rebounding. They’re sharing the ball. They’re playing smart, they’re playing tough. I think that goes a long way. They’re bringing the best out of each other, but we still have a long way to go.”

The Knicks had been giving up 113.9 points per game in going 17-15 through Dec. 30, and their recent streak — which has seen them hold opponents to 100 points or fewer nine times -— has represented a drastic improvement.