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The Knicks flipped a stretch of losing 9 out of 11 games into winning 9 of their next 10 games, the only loss coming to Detroit. A lot of that had to do with their overall self-awareness and understanding that to get to where they want to go, the defense had to play at a certain level. During this 10-game stretch (since Jan. 20), the Knicks have the No. 1 defensive rating in the NBA (100.8).

Simplifying their pick-and-roll defense to try to keep the ball in one direction has given them a boost — as will the addition of Jose Alvarado — but it’s been the commitment to activity and help defense that has allowed the trend to stick. Do the Knicks now have enough lineup versatility and defense behind Jalen Brunson to finally put all the pieces together? 

The Celtics have thrived by doing their best to control what they can control and avoid beating themselves. Jaylen Brown’s career year has played a large part in their consistency, but do not downplay the process. This is a team that leads the NBA with the fewest turnovers per game (12.1), working to limit mistakes. This is also a team that leads the NBA in opponent points per turnover (14.1), is fourth in opponent fast-break points (13.2) and second in opponent points in the paint (40.8) — which means whatever you thought would be easy does not exist. The Celtics compete on both ends, which has presented a tough formula to deal with on a nightly basis. 

What does the addition of Nikola Vučević mean? Look at him as adding more to what the Celtics already do rather than purely elevating them. His ability to space speaks for itself, but it’s easy to forget he can screen, roll and post, too. That should be a useful weapon for the Celtics if teams want to try and switch against them. He can win matchups and be a focal point with second-unit lineups. While he may not be as much of a hub as he’s been in previous spots, his passing ability should fit in once the Celtics get teams in rotation.

The question is, will the defense hold up? The Celtics have the infrastructure with their personnel and scheme to protect the paint and rotate around Vučević if teams try to attack him 1v1. But they will have to find a comfort with his pick-and-roll coverage, at the level or in drop, as the Knicks had a good time poking at him with Brunson and Alvarado on Sunday. 

Here come the Cavs?

That brings me to the team that could and should shake things up the most in the East: the Cleveland Cavaliers. Despite high expectations before the season, the Cavs have survived a lot of injuries to find themselves as the No. 4 seed in the East with the addition of James Harden.

The key element in adding Harden next to the play of Donovan Mitchell is further unlocking Cleveland’s offense. Darius Garland is a tremendous talent, but being able to stagger two All-NBA talents will feel a little bit different to opposing defenses. This should unlock Jarrett Allen (and Evan Mobley upon return) as rollers, which should create advantage basketball for Cleveland.

Harden can start and end possessions, and his pace in pick-and-roll allows for a more natural short roll for Allen. The question is how many teams will switch against them, and is this the move to take them over the top? 

Best of the rest

The Toronto Raptors have consistently produced on both ends of the floor thanks to the play of Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram. How much does that mean this year for a playoff run? Can they find a way to make the top teams in the East pay on both ends?

The Philadelphia 76ers have played the long game, leaning on Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe as Joel Embiid comes along (and boy has he come along). Will that be enough to make them a team you don’t want to deal with in the postseason?

The Miami Heat and Orlando Magic have shown flashes, but can they make enough noise to bother the top of the East? The Charlotte Hornets have found a flow offensively, attack defensively and are on a win streak we have not seen since 1999. Can they make some playoff buzz? 

Playoff series tend to come down to matchups, and we are dealing with a whole lot of teams that believe they can beat each other. Sit back and watch how this comes to a crescendo down the stretch. The conference is wide open.

The Boston Red Sox are pivoting after losing third baseman Alex Bregman to the Chicago Cubs in free agency. Perhaps in response to that move, the team made a trade for Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Caleb Durbin on Monday, the team announced.

Durbin, 25, slashed .256/.334/.387 as a rookie. Durbin, who was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 14th round of the 2021 MLB Draft, is known as a scrappy, undersized player who is capable of strong defense at third base. This marks the third time in his career that he has been traded.

While he hit well in the minors, Durbin’s upside with the bat is a bit of a question after a middling rookie season. His slash line wasn’t overly impressive, though it was 5% better than league-average. He managed that despite one of the worst average exit velocities in the game and a low barrel rate. Both figures cast doubt on Durbin’s ability to be a meaningful producer at the plate moving forward.

But Durbin is the type of player who has overcome those shortcomings in the past. Even last year, he showed an ability to optimize his approach at the plate, making sure he was pulling his fly balls, a good way for a player of his size to maximize his power output. That approach came through in the second half, which saw Durbin club seven home runs in 234 plate appearances. However, that came with a big reduction in his on-base percentage, so Durbin will need to find a way to reconcile that.

In addition to Durbin, the Red Sox received Andruw Monasterio, Anthony Seigler and a competitive-balance round B pick, per MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. 

Monasterio, 28, hit .270/.319/.437 in limited time with the Brewers last season. He saw time at every position on the infield and played two innings in left field. Seigler, a 26-year-old third baseman, hit just under .200 in 73 plate appearances in the majors last year.

[Get more Red Sox news: Boston team feed]

In exchange for Durbin, the Red Sox are parting ways with a key piece in the Rafael Devers trade. Left-handed pitcher Kyle Harrison is the main player heading to the Brewers in the deal.

Harrison, 24, didn’t see much time in the majors following that trade last summer. After making eight appearances with the San Francisco Giants in the first half, he was sent to the minors after being acquiring in the Devers deal. He made three major-league appearances with the Red Sox in the regular season, putting up a 3.00 ERA over 12 innings.

Prior to the 2024 MLB season, Harrison ranked within the top half on most top-100 prospect lists, topping out as No. 23 on MLB.com’s list heading into that season. Since then, the lefty hasn’t quite lived up to those expectations. The Brewers have a knack for getting the most out of young pitchers, however, so this could be a great landing spot for Harrison.

The Brewers also received 27-year-old pitcher Shane Drohan and 28-year-old infielder David Hamilton in the deal. Hamilton is known more for his defensive ability and has hit just .222 since 2023. Drohan saw his strikeout rate soar in the minors last season, but he was old for Triple-A and never got a chance in the majors with the Red Sox.

[Get more Brewers news: Milwaukee team feed]

With this move, two of the key pieces acquired by the Red Sox in the Devers deal are no longer with the franchise. In addition to shipping out Harrison, the Red Sox traded pitcher Jordan Hicks on Feb. 1. Hicks struggled mightily in limited work with the Red Sox following the Devers trade, posting an 8.20 ERA over 18 2/3 innings. The Red Sox were disappointed enough with that performance that they agreed to trade Hicks to the Chicago White Sox. 

Both the Brewers and Red Sox are expected to contend in 2026 after making the playoffs last season. At the same time, both teams still have a few glaring roster deficiencies. The Red Sox might have plugged one of those with Durbin, while the Brewers are engaging in a bit of a roster revamp after trading ace Freddy Peralta earlier in the offseason.

In Milwaukee, this trade presents more questions than answers, but the team has a strong track record of getting the most out of its young, unproven players. Harrison could be the next Brewers pitcher to take that leap, and the team has a handful of impressive infield prospects who could replace Durbin’s production before long.

As for Durbin, if the Red Sox can further optimize his approach at the plate, there’s potential for him to develop into an extremely useful, well-rounded contributor in all facets of the game.