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Knicks Veteran Loves Playing Defense

The New York Knicks want to be defensive-minded, and they have a player geared to help them achieve that goal.

Jeremy Brener

Nov 13, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (0) drives to the basket while being defended by New York Knicks guard Cameron Payne (1) during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
Nov 13, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (0) drives to the basket while being defended by New York Knicks guard Cameron Payne (1) during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images / John Jones-Imagn Images
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New York Knicks point guard Cam Payne is new to the team this season, but he feels like a long-time player for a Tom Thibodeau team.

Payne gets to showcase his drive, determination and passion for the defensive end of the floor when he plays for the Knicks, and he appreciates where he is at.

“I’m definitely a ‘defense wins games, defense wins championships’ kind of guy," Payne said after Wednesday's win against the Utah Jazz h/t Posting and Toasting.

“I felt like we did that tonight. That’s what we had to do. With [two] guys down, we’ve got to find a way to win games and tonight I feel like it was on the defensive end.”

Payne started for the injured Jalen Brunson, and he didn't exactly fill in and replace him, but he was himself, and the Knicks were able to easily adapt.

“Great job. He’s a vet. He always stays ready, every game he wants more responsibility, more minutes. That’s what we want from him. Games like this, we’re not worried when JB goes down, we’re good, CP is gonna give us great energy, take good shots, get guys the ball and that’s what we need," Josh Hart said.

There's a number of reasons why Payne is valuable to the Knicks, and even though he may not play as much as most of his teammates, he still finds ways to be effective. He has the Knicks DNA even after just a short time of playing, and that makes him part of the reason why the team has been successful this year.

Payne returns to his first NBA home tonight as the team takes on the Oklahoma City Thunder. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET from inside the Paycom Center.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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