NBA

D-FENSE MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE

The Knicks were doing a little too much “wishing they were swishing” and not enough “hustling and muscling” at the start of the season.

If Walt “Clyde” Frazier, king of the catchphrases, knows anything, it’s defense and he knew the Knicks weren’t playing enough of it when Mike D’Antoni’s tenure started in New York this season. Frazier, who made seven consecutive NBA All-defensive teams, said he believes that has changed recently.

MORE: Complete Knicks Coverage

MORE: Knicks Blog

“That’s been the catalyst,” said Frazier, who is an analyst for Knicks broadcasts on MSG.

“They’re just not out there running and shooting in seven seconds. They still have more of a running style, but it’s a little more tailored to like what the Suns had with D’Antoni. They are not living and dying with the three any more.”

It was something the Knicks had to do to avoid getting laughed off the court on nights when the three-ball wasn’t dropping.

“They were getting blown out,” Frazier said. “On nights they weren’t making shots, come on, they couldn’t compete. It was no contest. They had to do something on defense to remain in these games.”

The Knicks are now on the cusp of the playoff race with the Celtics in Madison Square Garden tonight before the team heads to the West Coast for matchups with the Blazers, Warriors and Clippers heading into the All-Star break. Frazier gives a lot of the credit for the Knicks’ mini-resurgence to Jared Jeffries and his infusion into the starting lineup.

“Case and point, Jeffries starts now,” Frazier said. “Why? Because they want a little more defensive effort out there. Jeffries and (Chris) Duhon are helping the team give a little more of a defensive effort.”

These Knicks won’t be mistaken with the early-’70s version that Frazier and Willis Reed took to two NBA championships. Especially on nights like Monday when Kobe Bryant dropped 61 points on them in a 126-117 Lakers victory. But it has been decent enough to quell Frazier’s concerns that the team wouldn’t be playing any defense under D’Antoni’s run-and-gun style.

“Their chances of making the playoffs are excellent right now,” Frazier said. “Guys are not looking for help like they were before. Every man is carrying his own weight. You get up on your man, you keep them out of the paint, you contest their shot and that’s what they are doing rather than just meandering around on defense.”

But not everyone has received the defensive memo.

“(Danilo) Gallinari can’t stay in the game unless he improves his defense,” Frazier said. “He’s in early foul trouble. When he’s in the game, whoever he is guarding, they attack him. He does a lot of good things out there, but if you notice when guys make spectacular moves it’s usually against him.”

justin.terranova@nypost.com