J.R. Smith was getting frustrated early in the game against the Hawks and was especially annoyed by some physical play from Ivan Johnson through screens.
Smith was hit with a technical for retaliating after Johnson laid one too many hard hits on him.
That's when The Bodyguard stepped in for a firm chat with Johnson.
"I just let him know, 'Not here, not today'," Martin said.
Smith eventually was able to find his game and his 10 points in the fourth quarter was a major reason why the Knicks were able to win their 10th straight.
Martin, who has proudly worn the label of enforcer throughout his career, said he was just doing his job.
"I'm going to do that no matter who it is," he said. "I take up for my guys no matter what. We're a team here, no matter what."
That kind of spirit had been missing here since Charles Oakley and Patrick Ewing patrolled the paint.