OG Anunoby scores career-high 40 as Knicks rout Nuggets
Knicks forward OG Anunoby drives past Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. in the first half of an NBA game Monday in Denver. Credit: AP/David Zalubowski
DENVER — Off the opening tip the Knicks missed their first shot of the night, a jumper by Karl-Anthony Towns. And then it seemed as if they didn’t miss again, putting on a performance that ripped up the pages of the franchise record book.
The Knicks built a double-digit first-quarter lead and never let the Denver Nuggets get closer than that as they raced to a 145-118 win at Ball Arena.
For two days the Knicks talked about their defense and how the offensive production had covered up the flaws through the first 16 games of the season. So in the 17th game, the Knicks just managed to completely blot out the defensive end with a masterpiece on offense.
OG Anunoby scored a career-high 40 points. Jalen Brunson scored 23 and handed out a career-best 17 assists and became the first Knicks since Nate Robinson in 2008-09 to post at least 20 points and 15 assists.
Karl-Anthony Towns, who had been a game-time decision with a left calf contusion, outplayed Nikola Jokic, with 30 points and 15 rebounds. The team set a franchise record for most assists in a half with 23, matched the franchise best for a game with 45 assists and for the third time this season they scored 76 points in a half. The 145 points was a season-high, tying the most by the franchise in regulation since 1980.
"They are really good, and they score a lot," Jokic said. "We did not make them do anything with their heart rate. It seemed to be really easy for all of them. They shot 60% from the field and 19 threes. Seems like they were just better. They were making shots. They were penetrating through our defense. We did not show up tonight."
It also marked the first time in franchise history that the Knicks had three different players record 40-plus points, 30-plus points and 10-plus rebounds and another player with 20-plus points and 10-plus assists in the same game — a feat no team had accomplished since Portland did it during the 1988-89 season.
“The ball was going in the hoop and we got off to a good start and didn’t really look back,” Brunson said. “We had a couple of moments where we weren’t doing what we were supposed to do, but for the most part we played strong with the lead. It was a good way to respond from Utah.
“You don’t really know when you’re doing it. You figure it out after. We were just playing, playing off our rhythm and just trying to find a way to win.”
“I haven’t seen any splits, but we’re a really good team,” Anunoby said. “So, it was pretty cool. I’ve never been on a team like this before.”
Nuggets coach Mike Malone didn’t mince words.
“For all the Tom Thibodeau haters out there who say he doesn’t coach offense, you get to really appreciate their team,” Malone said. “Because offensively they are elite.”
So Malone knew what was possible and he warned his team, reminding them of a one-sided loss to the Knicks last season. On this night it may have been different faces, but the result was the same. Brunson deftly orchestrated the show but in the thin air of Denver the Knicks just ran all over the Nuggets, finding openings for three-point field goals and beating them down the floor for breakaway dunks.
The 76-point first half had the Knicks holding a 23-point lead at intermission and it was never in doubt. The Nuggets cut the lead below 20 just once after halftime — to 19 for one possession until the final minutes when Russell Westbrook pulled them within 17 at one point with 24 fourth-quarter points. But they were never able to mount a rally and the Knicks never slowed down.
“I thought the team has been very unselfish all year long, “ Thibodeau said.
“And we’re getting a better rhythm, and we’re creating good shots, and we’re finding the guy who has a hot hand or a good matchup, but we’re doing it through movement, and that’s everyone working together to create the right shots.
“ And when we do that, we’re an excellent offensive team. I think we’ve shown that all year, and even the other night when we lost, the shots that we had were good shots. So just keep trusting each other. Each night could be someone different. Tonight. OG was unbelievable.
“I thought guys made a conscious effort to search him out, find him, create shots for him, and he kept moving. And so that was great.”
Anunoby dismissed the career-high, noting, “What did we win by, 20 something? I’m happier about that.”
Notes & quotes: While he was ruled out again Monday Precious Achiuwa has been cleared for practice on this trip. Thibodeau said that he would need a handful of practices before entering a game. Mitchell Robinson is on the trip but not cleared for practice yet. “Precious is doing pretty much everything now,” Thibodeau said. “So he’s gotten some contact. He’s at the next step. He’s getting close. Mitch, obviously, just having him around. He hasn’t been cleared really to do anything other than the rehab part of it. But it’s good to see he’s progressing well also, but he’s not as close where Precious is. But we’re very encouraged with both guys.” Asked if Achiuwa could play on this trip Thibodeau said, “Nah. He’s not quite there yet. So just want to be patient. We don’t want this thing to be recurring. Let him get through it and when he’s ready he’s ready. “
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
