OG Anunoby's dominant stretch a good sign for Knicks heading into playoffs

Much of the conversation surrounding the 2024-25 Knicks has centered around expectations. Trading most of their future draft capital for Mikal Bridges and two key starters from last year for Karl-Anthony Towns accelerated their timeline and announced to the league at large that they’re ready to contend around Jalen Brunson. 

But one Knick in particular was saddled with his own heightened responsibilities, and with their best player injured, he is rising to meet them.  

OG Anunoby signed the largest contract in franchise history over the offseason when he inked a five-year, $212.5 million deal. He’s currently the second-highest paid Knick behind Towns, tasked with anchoring their increasingly susceptible defense while being a secondary scorer and playmaker on the other end. 

The extension was well-earned after Anunoby had a historically positive impact on last year’s team, and although the role asked of him isn’t easy, he’s one of the unique guys built to handle it. To start the season, it looked like a home run bet for the Knicks. 

Anunoby averaged 19.1 points and 2.2 stocks (steals plus blocks) on 42.2 percent shooting from three in the first 17 games, capping it off with a career-high 40-ball in a win over the Nuggets. He had a hand in everything -- carrying a developing Knicks defense and taking much of the offensive burden off Brunson and an adjusting Bridges. 

Then, whether due to unknown injury, fatigue, or another factor, Anunoby hit a dry spell, shooting 33.3 percent from three over a 32-game span, and looked a step slow defensively for much of it. Luckily this coincided with some of the team’s winningest basketball of the season, with his off nights only highlighted during the team’s low points. 

Following an injury that kept him out for five games over All-Star Weekend, Anunoby took some time to fully find his rhythm, and understandably wasn’t his usual All-NBA-level defensive self. At this point he had spent only a portion of the season delivering on the expectations placed on him, leading to questions as the team braced for its biggest challenge yet.

When Brunson went down with an ankle injury against the Lakers in early March, eyes turned to the rest of the team -- how would they respond without their leader? The answer, especially in Anunoby’s case, has been a resounding step up to the plate.

In the 14 games played without Brunson, Anunoby is averaging 23.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.9 stocks on 53.3 percent shooting from two and 38.8 percent from three. New York is above .500 in these games, and is boasting the seventh-best defense in the league during this stretch, in no small part due to Anunoby.

Anunoby tapped into a newfound offensive aggressiveness, putting together a 35-point game in a win over Dallas and a 31-point performance to beat their likely first-round matchup Milwaukee. The playbook hasn’t changed much, but Anunoby is utilizing his big body and strength to new levels, and is up to 27.5 points per game in his last eight outings.

Anunoby has averaged 5.2 free throws a game since Brunson went down, compared to 2.5 a game in the previous 56 contests. This is a massive and necessary leap, as he’s embraced bully ball, driving hard into contact relentlessly, leading to easy scores at the charity stripe. 

He can overpower most wings and guards on the drive, and is doing a better job of getting low and avoiding getting stripped. He’s making his awkward euro-steps work behind his crazy long strides, and looks to have his left back from the beginning of the season. 

It helps that his shooting touch is back, opening up more driving lanes. Anunoby has been a high-30s three-point shooter throughout his career, but is subject to slumps and streaks like any shooter, so getting him on a heater as the postseason approaches is a major potential boost.

Despite the increased offensive load, Anunoby’s defense hasn’t suffered. He’s been dynamic getting into passing lanes and helping around the rim, as shown by his jump in stocks.

Anunoby has fully displayed his two-way talent in these games, helping secure playoff-clinching wins by mucking up opposing offenses with his help (five steals against the Kings) and slowing down individual scorers. That this performance has come without Brunson and with just two weeks to go until the playoffs is a major development for the Knicks.

If New York wants to meet expectations, it’ll take each of its key players individually meeting theirs as well. By way of contract and skill set, more of that falls on Anunoby than many would admit, but he’s proving capable at just the right time.

If Anunoby can carry this level of play into the postseason, where he’s historically stepped his game up, the Knicks will be materially better positioned to make a run. A $200 million contract to score 20 and glue together a defense bookended by two poor defenders may come with serious expectations, but Anunoby is proving to be built for the task.