The followers on the Backyard weren’t the one ones in attendance marveling at OG Anunoby’s distinctive defensive exploits in Thursday’s win over the Hornets.
Anunoby’s teammates on the Knicks basically have been chanting “OG, OG,” too, after a recreation during which he registered 4 steals and a spotlight sequence during which he rejected two pictures on the perimeter on the identical Charlotte possession.
“It’s crazy. He’s just a freak of nature, getting those blocks,” Mikal Bridges mentioned after the Knicks’ fourth straight win coming into Saturday’s house recreation in opposition to the Pistons. “He’s been OG since he’s been in the league. I’ve been watching him. Really dope.”
The mild-mannered Anunoby even flashed a broad smile after his successive blocks into the stands from both nook of the defensive half-court on KJ Simpson and Cody Martin.
Tom Thibodeau joked after the sport that Anunoby, who additionally scored 25 factors within the win, was “getting checked right now” by medical doctors for the uncommon present of emotion.
“The plays that he was [making], he’s the only one that can make them. He’s everywhere,” Thibodeau mentioned. “He’s flying round. He’s into the our bodies, and when he’s like that, he simply covers a lot floor. His timing, you possibly can’t throw the ball over him. He challenges pictures nice. He’s a man with nice, nice instincts. He performed a terrific recreation.
“I think plays like that unite and inspire the team. You can feel it. When a guy makes a great multiple effort, it’s inspiring to everyone. That gets you going. The energy that you get from that is huge. The blocked shots, diving on the floor, coming up with a steal, and actually that’s really what got us going. He blew up a couple of dribble hand-offs, we got a couple of easy baskets, and then we got going.”
The 2 blocks represented the form of memorable sequence that ought to stand out — and voters shouldn’t overlook — when the time comes to pick the league’s All-Defensive groups on the finish of the common season.
Karl-Anthony Cities was incredulous when advised the 6-foot-7 ahead solely has been chosen as soon as for that honor — a second-team designation in 2022-23 with the Raptors — over his earlier seven seasons within the NBA.
“He has All-Defensive teams in his future. So we’ll make it up,” Cities mentioned. “I feel everyone knows on this locker room the expertise OG possesses.
“I think he’s one of the best two-way players in the NBA. Defensively, offensively, he affects the game. I’m just glad that he’s getting this moment here in the Mecca in New York to show the world the talent that we all see.”
On the different finish of the ground, the 27-year-old Anunoby is averaging profession highs in factors (17.7 per recreation) and minutes (36.4) whereas taking pictures 39.1 % from 3-point vary.
Thibodeau additionally normally pits Anunoby defensively in opposition to the opposing staff’s high participant, a job he clearly relishes.
“I just find out the matchup, watch the film, and then also my memory from playing them before, just from watching games, seeing what they like to do, just trying to make them uncomfortable,” Anunoby mentioned. “[They are] all great players.”
“It’s fun to watch them before, watching their film. I enjoy watching every player. It’s fun to see them grow and get better each year, and then whoever the player is, see how good they are. And then also it’s fun to try to stop them, make it as difficult as possible.”
Anunoby added that he would “never” earlier than recorded a number of blocks on one possession within the method he did it Thursday evening in opposition to the Hornets. The rationale for the on-court smile, he mentioned, was as a result of he “was excited.”
Nonetheless, when requested if he has any statistical objectives or hopes of garnering particular person accolades, Anunoby shifted the dialog again to the staff.
“I definitely have individual goals, but I know that all comes from winning,” he mentioned. “So winning is the main goal.”
