OG Anunoby becomes a solid fit for Knicks
OG Anunoby of the Knicks looks on during the second quarter against the Washington Wizards at Madison Square Garden on Monday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
After coming to the Knicks last season in a midseason trade and having his playing time limited by injuries, OG Anunoby is fitting in at last.
The 6-7 forward has had his share of playful moments, most recently grabbing the microphone from MSG reporter Alan Hahn three times during his postgame TV interview Sunday night, something that he has occasionally done dating to at least Jan. 9 — his fifth game with the Knicks.
Fans have embraced his humorous quirks and Anunoby is healthy and thriving on the court in his first full season with the Knicks.
Anunoby scored 24 points, shooting 9-for-17 from the field and 3-for-7 from three, with eight rebounds in the Knicks’ 114-104 victory over the Nets on Sunday. Heading into Monday night’s home game against the Wizards, he has scored at least 24 points in four of his last five games.
“I just think the more that he plays with his teammates, the more familiar he becomes with them,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said before the game. “And they’re starting to build chemistry and good things come off that both offensively and defensively. We can turn the defense into offense, and then his movement off the ball is huge for us as well.”
Defeating Washington would give the Knicks (7-6) a three-game win streak and put them two games above .500 for the first time this season.
Anunoby is averaging 17.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.4 steals in 36.8 minutes. Albeit just a 13-game sample size thus far, Anunoby never averaged more than 36 minutes or 17.1 points in any of his previous seven pro seasons. He is shooting 50% from the field and 37.3% from deep on 5.8 three-point attempts per game.
“Just moving in open space,” Anunoby said Sunday on how he plays offensively beyond the perimeter. “Giving them an outlet if needed and then they should be ready to shoot or be ready to close out. Attack with either a finish or a kick-out pass.”
Regarding finishing, Anunoby has earned a reputation as one of the most consistent non-center dunkers in the league. He came into Monday with 23 dunks, tied with Anthony Davis for the 14th-most in the NBA; every player ahead of Anunoby is listed at least 6-9 and most play more of a traditional big-man role.
Anunoby had 75 dunks last season, tied for 40th-most in the league. He had the 19th-most dunks during the 2022-23 season with 103.
“You knew he was a versatile defender,” Josh Hart said Sunday of the old scouting report on Anunoby. “But you knew he was a guy who could knock down shots. He’s a high-IQ player. Makes smart cuts, makes winning plays on offense. You knew that and obviously he’s continued to evolve . . . he’s definitely continued to grow offensively and we need him.”
The Knicks acquired Anunoby in a blockbuster trade last Dec. 30, sending RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and a 2024 second-round pick to the Raptors in exchange for Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa, who has yet to appear in a game this season, and Malachi Flynn, now with the Spurs’ G League affiliate.
“OG, that’s my guy,” Mikal Bridges said Sunday. “[Does] everything on both ends.”
Anunoby played only 23 regular-season games for the Knicks last year, missing 27 games due to two stints with an elbow injury. He played in only nine of the Knicks’ 13 playoff games after a hamstring injury, including the 4:41 he played as he tried to give it a go in the season-ending Game 7 loss to the Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Notes & quotes: Karl-Anthony Towns was in the starting lineup Monday, the second half a back-to-back, despite taking a hard fall in the third quarter against the Nets on Sunday . . . Deuce McBride (left knee inflammation) missed his third straight game. “We just want to let it calm down,” Thibodeau said, “and then once he’s ready to go, we just don’t want it to linger.” . . . Thibodeau expects Achiuwa (left hamstring strain) to travel with the team on its five-game road trip that begins Wednesday against the Suns.
Ben Dickson joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.
