The New York Knicks’ road trip continued with an impressive victory over the Denver Nuggets. Anunoby stole the spotlight with a spectacular performance, while Brunson achieved a career-high in assists. Meanwhile, three-time MVP Nikola Jokic struggled against Karl-Anthony Towns and his teammates as the Knicks recorded a remarkable total of 45 assists in the 145–118 win over Denver.
The Knicks’ trio of Towns, Brunson, and Anunoby combined for 93 points, shooting 68% from the field in the most offensively impressive performance the team has shown this season. While the Denver Nuggets feature the consistently MVP-caliber talent of Jokic, the Knicks playing at their highest level can spell disaster for their opponents.
The New York Knicks have a Three-Headed Goat
Jalen Brunson’s slow start to the season led many fans and media personalities to suggest that he had lost a step, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. As the captain of the Knicks and a key leader, Brunson took a step back to help integrate newly acquired talents like Bridges and Towns, while also allowing Anunoby to showcase his skills.
This decision has proven to be beneficial, as the Knicks have demonstrated increased versatility, discovering new ways to win beyond relying solely on Brunson. Without Brunson’s true leadership, none of this would be happening.
Towns has already surpassed his total of 30-point games from last season, while Anunoby has achieved a career-high of 40 points. The ingenuity Brunson brings to the team cannot be underestimated; he is the heart and soul of this great franchise.
His 17 assists mark a career-high and demonstrate how much he has developed in his playmaking abilities. Brunson’s polished footwork and natural scoring talent have gained even more depth with his improved playmaking skills. This development extends Brunson’s elite production window well into his 30s. Many more exciting moments from the best version of Brunson are on the way.
Karl-Anthony Towns is playing at an All-NBA level
The addition of Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks was met with mixed reviews and significant criticism. However, those critiques have quieted down as this has been the best season of Towns’ career. In a recent game against the Nuggets, Towns delivered an MVP-level performance, scoring 30 points and grabbing 15 rebounds while shooting 80% from the field.
His tenacity remains unmatched, as he ranks in the top three in the league for rebounds and is also in the top 15 for points per game. The standout level at which Towns has performed this season has led analysts and fans alike to call for the offense to be run through him.
Towns is the best overall player on the Knicks, and his offensive aggression elevates the team’s performance. As Towns draws more attention from opposing defenses, players like Brunson and Anunoby find easier opportunities to develop and enhance their own games.
OG Anunoby had a career night
The standout player in this episode was OG Anunoby, who scored a career-high 40 points in Denver, with 18 of those points coming in the third quarter. It’s impressive to witness how much Anunoby’s game has developed since he joined the league.
His playing style draws parallels to that of Kawhi Leonard, and he is currently enjoying his best season yet, averaging 19 points per game with a shooting percentage of 52% from the field and 42% from three-point range. Anunoby’s remarkable performance has contributed to making the Knicks one of the most high-octane offenses in the league.
New York currently ranks in the top two for both field goal and three-point percentages while boasting the lowest turnover percentage in the league. They are also in the top ten for assists per game and are among the top five teams in points per game. This Knicks team is not only one of the best in the franchise’s history but also among the finest in NBA history.
The Knicks are stringing together wins
Looking ahead, a showdown awaits in Dallas as the Knicks prepare to face Klay Thompson and the high-octane offense of the Dallas Mavericks. Maintaining a similar approach to the victories over Denver and the Knicks will set the team on the right path to stringing together convincing wins.
