"We're not the defensive team we were" -  Walt Frazier shares honest feelings on Knicks title hopes with Celtics & Cavs in mix

Decades after his retirement in 1980, NBA Hall of Famer Walt Frazier has watched the New York Knicks re-emerge as a title contender in the Eastern Conference. Frazier orchestrated the offense that fueled the most recent NBA championship in the organization's history, helping lead the Knicks to the title in 1972-73.

After years of struggles, New York is back with real title hopes in the crowded, top-heavy East. On Saturday, Frazier shared his thoughts on New York's title hopes this season in an interview with the New York Post.

"I think the Celtics are the cream of the crop," Frazier said. "The Cavaliers are a formidable team. The Knicks are right there behind them. If (Mitchell Robinson) can stay healthy, that should improve our defensive prowess. We're not the defensive team we were last year, we're a better offensive team... We need more productivity from the bench."

Frazier's major points were each correct. New York's defensive rating has slipped from 10th in the NBA last season to 15th this year. Their scoring has also improved from 19th in the league last year compared to ranking ninth in the NBA in scoring this year.

New York also has the worst-scoring bench in the NBA, averaging just 21.3 points per game, largely due to coach Tom Thibodeau prioritizing his starting unit in the rotation.

Knicks bounce back with s win versus Bucks

In the New York Knicks' bounce-back win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday, they showed off some of the points that Walt Frazier highlighted during his interview. New York topped Milwaukee 116-107 after suffering a 126-113 loss versus the LA Clippers in front of their home crowd on Wednesday.

Focusing on the defensive end of the floor, New York forced 16 turnovers versus Milwaukee while limiting their turnovers with half the Bucks' total. Landry Shamet also showed out off the bench for New York, leading the second unit with 13 points in just 20 minutes.

OG Anunoby led the way for New York in the win, posting a game-high 31 points on 9-for-21 shooting with two rebounds, two assists and three steals. Mikal Bridges added 26 points, while the remaining starters combined for 39 points on 16-for-27 shooting as a trio.