The New York Knicks had their largest comeback win of the season against the Miami Heat, making a ferocious comeback after trailing by as much as 19 in the third quarter. They don’t make that comeback if not for OG Anunoby.
Knicks’ OG Anunoby was phenomenal against the Heat
Fresh off of his game-winning three-point shot on Friday against the Memphis Grizzlies, Anunoby put the team on his back once more against Miami on Sunday. He put on a show on the defensive side of the ball, as he recorded two steals and three blocks along with nine rebounds for New York. He also did a job offensively, finishing the night with 23 points and five assists.
“Phenomenal,” Thibodeau said of Anunoby, via Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. “Just timely rebounds. In traffic. Assists. He did it all. Tremendous game from him.”
Anunoby’s defense helped change the game for the Knicks. It was a tale of two halves for New York defensively, as they allowed 40 points in the paint in just the first half and also allowed the Heat to shoot 26-for-40 from the field.
Anunoby helped shift the energy in the second half
In the second half, everything changed. The Knicks’ defense tightened up, which helped them close the gap to just six entering the fourth quarter. Miami shot 16-for-34 from the floor and 6-for-21 from three in the second half, and they turned the ball over eight times thanks to Anunoby’s defensive prowess.
Anunoby took on the toughest defensive matchups all across the court. At times, he was guarding Tyler Herro on the perimeter to prevent him from taking over the game, and in overtime he was guarding Bam Adebayo in the post.
He showcased his true versatility all over the floor on Sunday and quickly reminded everyone why he was paid $212 million by the Knicks in the offseason. Without him, it is hard to say that the Knicks would have won Sunday’s game against Miami.