New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby is having one of the best seasons of his career on both ends of the floor. Additionally, he has stayed healthy this season with 70 games played, and his impact has been tremendous all season long.
Knicks’ OG Anunoby praises his defensive effort
When Jalen Brunson was out, Anunoby took his game to a whole new level scoring-wise. He is averaging 24.3 points per game over his last 10 games and is shooting 38.9% from three in that span. He also is averaging 1.9 steals in that same span, which is close to his season average of 1.5.
Anunoby has the task of guarding an opposing team’s best player each game, and he has done an outstanding job on the perimeter and in the passing lanes. His impact is so profound, that even Anunoby himself feels that his efforts should be properly rewarded.
“I think I should be on First Team All-Defense. I think I should win Defensive Player of the Year,” Anunoby said, via Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News. “I’ve always felt that way.”
Anunoby’s impact will be huge in the postseason
Anunoby has been awarded just one All-Defense honors in his career when he was named to Second Team All-Defense in 2023 with the Toronto Raptors. The 6-8 forward has always been known for being a strong defender, but now his impact is shown on a greater scale thanks to playing in a larger market.
Furthermore, playing for a defensive-minded coach such as Tom Thibodeau has helped him become an even better defender. Most of the team’s defensive struggles this year come near the basket, but Anunoby has excelled in the perimeter and is arguably the team’s second most valuable player behind Brunson.
With the playoffs just around the corner, Anunoby will be a huge difference-maker on the court. He missed most of the second round last year with a hamstring injury, an injury that would start a chain reaction of ailments and ultimately cost the Knicks a chance at an Eastern Conference Finals appearance.
The expectations are much higher this time around, and they will need the best version of Anunoby to make a deep run.