Knicks take down Trail Blazers as OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges score 28 points each

It was a little after 4:20 p.m. and Tom Thibodeau was, in his way, gushing about OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges.

“Super-aggressive,” Thibodeau began. “We need that from them every night.”

Consider that challenge accepted.

“Those two are really [playing well] right now,” Josh Hart said after Anunoby and Bridges each scored 28 points to carry an undermanned Knicks squad to a 110-93 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday night at Madison Square Garden.

Anunoby and Bridges were two of six Knicks to finish in double figures on a night in which the franchise celebrated Walt Frazier’s 80th birthday.

“It’s about wins,” said Karl-Anthony Towns, who had 10 points and 11 rebounds. “That’s what this city cares about. Any time we can put one in the left column, it’s a good day.”

Hart had 14 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for the Knicks (47-27), who have won four of their last five games. Landry Shamet added 11 points and Precious Achiuwa scored all 10 of his points in the second quarter on 5-for-5 shooting.

“Especially with guys down [Deuce McBride, Jalen Brunson and Cam Payne], we need guys to be aggressive,” Hart said.

That they were. Even if, as Hart noted, they started a little late.

The Knicks trailed 58-50 at halftime as the Trail Blazers shot 55.8% (24-for-43) from the field in the opening 24 minutes.

“Six o’clock game,” Hart said. “I think we forgot. When seven-thirty hit, we playing. Yeah, we just picked it up.”

Indeed. The Knicks held Portland to 35 points and 14-for-44 shooting in the second half and shot 27-for-42 themselves.

Deni Avdija had 33 points and Shaedon Sharpe scored 23 for Portland (32-43).

“We started getting stops, converting those stops into points,” Towns said. “I’ve said it before: Knicks basketball is at its best when we get turnovers and convert those to points, and we did a good job of that in the third quarter.”

Anunoby had nine points and Bridges added eight in the third quarter as the Knicks outscored Portland 29-20 to take a 79-78 lead going into the fourth.

“The defensive activity, intensity picked up” was Thibodeau’s analysis of the third quarter. “Once the ball pressure got better, we got some steals, got some blocks. Then we got to the open floor.

“Got some fast-break points. And then we got into a good rhythm.”

That carried over into the fourth quarter, in which Bridges scored 13 points as the Knicks outscored Portland 31-15.

Said Towns, “We’re doing a good job finding ways to win with each other.”

Notes & quotes: During his pregame availability, Thibodeau said McBride “is close.” McBride has not played since suffering a groin injury in the Knicks’ 115-98 loss to the Hornets on March 20 . . . Thibodeau said Payne (ankle) is “day-to-day.”  . . . Hart praised Villanova for hiring Kevin Willard as its new men’s basketball coach. “This is a huge addition for us,” said Hart, who played for Villanova for four years and was a member of the program’s 2015-16 national championship-winning team. “It will be good for us.”