How Knicks' OG Anunoby will be X-factor vs. Pacers in NBA playoffs
OG Anunoby’s first four months with the Knicks have seen him play the role of problem-solver. When the Knicks added Anunoby in a late December trade with the Toronto Raptors, he transformed the team seemingly overnight.
After defeating the Philadelphia 76ers in a memorable six-game first round series, next on Anunoby’s problem-solving exploration is the Indiana Pacers and an offense that ranked second in the NBA during the regular season. Anunoby will be the X-factor for the Knicks as they look to advance to their first conference finals in 24 years.
New York went from a middling defense to first with Anunoby in the lineup. When he plays, the Knicks are 24-5 in the regular season and playoffs combined. The Knicks outscored teams by 21.7 points per 100 possessions in the 802 minutes Anunoby was on the floor during the regular season according to NBA Stats.
In the first round, Anunoby was all over the court on the defensive end, plugging up holes in the defense. He spent the early stages defending speed demon Tyrese Maxey, and had a brief but memorable stint as the primary defender on seven-footer Joel Embiid. Then he capped it off by being a help defender and contesting any drives to the rim.
The Knicks went 1-2 in head-to-head matchups with Indiana during the regular season, but Anunoby never played in any of the games. In this series with Indiana, expect the 7-2 wingspan of Anunoby to envelop the Pacers in the same way.
Pacers forward Pascal Siakam averaged 22.3 points on 54.7 percent from the field against the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round. After scoring 37 points in each of the first two games, the Bucks began to throw extra help at Siakam. That opened up scoring opportunities for his teammates. Expect Anunoby to draw the early assignment on his former Raptors teammate. He should be able to guard Siakam one-on-one. It should be an entertaining matchup.
Anunoby should also see some time on all-star point guard Tyrese Haliburton in this series. The Knicks could also put him on Pacers center Myles Turner to muck up Indiana’s pick-and-roll attack with Haliburton. Wherever his assignment is, the Knicks can use Anunoby in different spots on the floor to disrupt Indiana’s offense.
Everyone waxes poetic about Anunoby’s defense. But his performance on the other end is also very important. The seven-year veteran is third on the team in scoring during the playoffs, averaging 15.0 points. His offensive production is vital to the Knicks, who are running a thin seven-man rotation and need additional scoring to complement primary option Jalen Brunson.
Adding just enough on offense
Anunoby’s finishing ability is useful for a Knicks team short on vertical athleticism. He put that on full display with his dunk on Embiid in the fourth quarter of the Thursday night’s series closeout.
New York as a team does not finish well around the rim. The club was tied for 25th in field goal percentage (63.1 percent) in the restricted area this season and is 13th among the 16 teams in the playoffs. Anunoby’s ability to make plays above the rim is important.
A quality cutter off the ball, Anunoby adds a little seasoning to a Knicks offense that can be bland at times. Though Anunoby hasn’t shot the ball from three as well in the postseason overall (33 percent), he’s been great from the corners, knocking down 50 percent of his corner three attempts.
The Knicks need Anunoby to continue to be a problem-solver. If the 6-7 forward keeps living up to his role of elite defender and offensive finisher, he could be a catalyst to another series win.
