The New York Knicks will have an early challenge to begin the 2024-25 regular season, facing the defending champion Boston Celtics on the road at TD Garden. Undoubtedly, part of their game plan will be to slow down their superstar duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
The Knicks need a big defensive performance from OG Anunoby against the Celtics
The player that will be given the biggest responsibility on the defensive end for the Knicks will be none other than OG Anunoby, who returned to New York this offseason by signing a five-year, $212 million deal. Anunoby is easily the team’s best perimeter defender, with newcomer Mikal Bridges coming right behind him.
The two will almost certainly be on the floor together during the times Tatum and Brown are out there, but it will be Anunoby who needs to make the biggest impact. The forward showcased his tremendous versatility in their final preseason game against the Washington Wizards last Friday, as he recorded three steals and two blocks.
The key for the Knicks winning the season opener will be to stop Tatum from taking over the game, which Anunoby is more than capable of doing. Last year, Anunoby guarded Tatum for a total of 13 minutes across two games played, to which Tatum shot just 3-for-8 and scored just eight points with him as the primary defender, per NBA stats.
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Anunoby’s presence is a game-changer for the Knicks
The Celtics will certainly look to create mismatches for both Tatum and Brown, which will obviously be tougher for them to do given that Bridges will also be out there on the perimeter with Anunoby. How Anunoby navigates through the Celtics’ strategy on offense will play a huge role in increasing the Knicks’ chances of winning.
The first game of the regular season is never a “prove it” game of any kind, and both teams will be missing key pieces Tuesday night. However, this game can tell a lot about the outlook of the two contending Eastern Conference teams going forward, and Anunoby’s presence defensively makes a massive difference for the Knicks.
