The New York Knicks win the season tiebreaker over the Philadelphia 76ers as OG Anunoby’s return re-energizes the team back to the win column.
The New York Knicks played their worst game of the season to start a back-to-back series against the Philadelphia 76ers but bounced back with an impressive win to split the series.
New York lost the first game to Philadelphia 79-73, posting the lowest score of any team this season. They came out flat, and the Sixers aggressively blitzed Jalen Brunson. Philadelphia dared anyone else to beat them, and with Donte DiVincenzo ice cold, there was no second option to buy Brunson space. New York was outworked on their homecourt, and Kelly Oubre poured salt in the wound by standing over DiVo after a foul and talking trash about the ensuing scuffle.
The Knicks seemed poised for a bounce back even before the news that OG Anunoby was returning hit. They came out fired up, with an invigorating defense led by the returning Anunoby. They wouldn’t be bullied again, and improved ball movement led to much-improved shooting. New York trounced the Sixers 106-79, solidifying their position in the top four of the East.
The Knicks’ starters look different with OG
Jalen Brunson:
Game 1: 19 PTS (6/22 FG, 1/9 3PT, 6/8 FT), 8 AST, 3 REB, 2 TO in 32 mins
Game 2: 20 PTS (7/12 FG, 4/8 3PT, 2/3 FT), 9 AST, 4 REB, 1 STL, 1 TO in 27 mins
Philadelphia came as close to shutting Jalen Brunson down as any team I’ve witnessed in the first game against New York. They blitzed Brunson with double teams well above the arc and defenders in the corners pinched into close driving lanes. Brunson found ways to score and picked up assists, but possessions were slowed down and sloppy. Watching Brunson adjust for the second match-up was fun.
Brunson simplified his approach. When the double approached, he made simple passes to the roll man or his weak side help and trusted those players to make something happen. Possessions started quickly against an off-balance defense. Meanwhile, Brunson picked his spots and became a much more efficient player than in the previous game.
Brunson’s numbers aren’t particularly impressive compared to his typical output, but remember that he got to rest early in the second game. It’s still easy to marvel at how he adjusted to an aggressive defense and broke it down. Brunson didn’t have his best pair of performances, but he comes away looking like a special player regardless. The Knicks’ star gets a 3.5 out of 5 for a great bounce back from one of his toughest games of the season.
Donte DiVincenzo:
Game 1: 15 PTS (6/17 FG, 3/12 3PT), 3 AST, 9 REB, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 4 TO in 36 mins
Game 2: 16 PTS (4/11 FG, 4/9 3PT, 4/4 FT), 4 AST, 2 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 34 mins
Donte DiVincenzo’s jumper failed him in the series’ first game, though a lot of credit goes to the Sixers. Philadelphia’s defenders cheated off every other Knick to stop Brunson, but they stayed close to DiVincenzo. When DiVo finally got space to fire away, he was out of rhythm and rushed. The Big Ragu’s most memorable play came from taking Kelly Oubre down for standing over him.
I’ll admit, I’m slightly disappointed that the Big Ragu didn’t have a bigger game in the second matchup. That’s not to say DiVo was bad. He got better looks and made Philadelphia pay for the space. His defense was strong, and DiVo moved the ball well while feeding off movement from Hart and Anunoby. But he stayed within himself, and I was rooting for DiVincenzo to take it to the Sixers instead.
Setting my selfish desires aside, DiVincenzo had a nice bounce back from his rough first game. He responded to Philadelphia’s pressure with turnovers in the first game but took what the defense gave him in the second. That didn’t translate to a monstrous stat line, but it contributed to a game-high +/-. DiVincenzo gets a 3 out of 5 for his two nights.
Josh Hart:
Game 1: 9 PTS (4/13 FG, 1/7 3PT), 2 AST, 11 REB, 2 STL, 6 TO in 43 mins
Game 2: 20 PTS (8/16 FG, 1/6 3PT, 3/4 FT), 10 AST, 19 REB, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 39 mins
Josh Hart started slow in game one and looked flat for most of the game. He hesitated on jumpers and turned the ball over due to cross-court passes and dribbling into crowds. But he showed up to the rematch with a vengeance. Hart gave New York a triple-double by the midway point of the third quarter, and out-rebounding Philadelphia’s entire starting lineup combined.
Hart started the revenge effort with a midrange jumper, a putback, and a series of rebounds pulled away from crowds of bigger players. He raced down the floor off boards and created havoc. But my favorite aspect of Hart’s game was his passing, which included a glut of weak side drive and kicks to open shooters.
Hart’s first game makes earning a 5 out of 5 impossible, but he made me think twice about it. He was that good in the second matchup. He played tone setter to start and never let up. Hart gets a 4 out of 5 for the two games combined, but his second effort was perfection, save for some missed jumpers.
OG Anunoby:
Game 1: DNP
Game 2: 14 PTS (6/11 FG, 2/5 3PT), 2 AST, 4 REB, 1 STL, 3 TO in 29 mins
OG Anunoby returned for the second game of the matchup, which made it easy to appreciate his trickle-down impact on the entire team. Anunoby erased Tobias Harris’ presence from the game and took away Philadelphia’s ability to chase mismatches. OG’s rotations were impeccable, and defenders each slid to an easier defensive match-up than they had in the game prior. At the opposite end, OG spaced the floor with corner threes, a baseline midrange pop, and a beauty of a spin and dunk off the dribble.
I tried to squeeze most of OG’s performance into the first paragraph so I could dedicate a chunk of time to his hedging. In this pick-and-roll heavy league, help defenders must hedge effectively. Anunoby, with his 7-foot wingspan, ruined numerous possessions for the Sixers by stepping off his man and squeezing ball-handlers that would have otherwise gotten the step on their primary defenders. Most impressive of all, OG’s hedging stood out most in the third quarter while the Knicks were up 25 points or more.
Anunoby’s numbers are cool, but his impact exceeds the stats. He had a domino effect on every defender in the rotation and created spacing we haven’t seen since he left. Anunoby’s impact was immediate. Now, let’s hope the elbow holds up. OG gets a 4 out of 5 for the great return.
Isaiah Hartenstein:
Game 1: 3 PTS (1/1 FG, 1/2 FT), 4 AST, 10 REB in 24 mins
Game 2: 6 PTS (3/3 FG), 2 AST, 5 REB in 20 mins
Isaiah Hartenstein’s presence had a night-and-day impact on the team. While Hartenstein played, the Knicks were 10 points better than the Sixers. Things went off the rails for New York when Hartenstein left the sideline and headed for the locker room.
Hartenstein’s drop coverage is impeccable, and while it wasn’t as necessary once OG came back, it continued to create problems for Philly in the second match-up. He had less to do with the ball flying from wing to wing, shooter to shooter. But Hartenstein remained involved with strong screens, smart passing, and an interior presence that’s easy to recognize.
The only issue with Hartenstein is that we’re worried about his health. He’s great during his minutes, but they’ve been limited recently. So, he’ll only improve as he rounds into better shape and can provide 30 minutes instead of 20. I-Hart gets a 3.5 for two strong games only cut short by nagging injuries.
New York’s second unit will only get stronger
Miles McBride:
Game 1: 0 PTS (0/5 FG, 0/2 3PT), 2 AST, 1 STL in 16 mins
Game 2: 13 PTS (5/8 FG, 3/5 3PT), 2 AST, 2 REB in 23 mins
In game one, Miles McBride looked like another victim of Philadelphia’s blitzing defense. He rushed a few shots and rarely looked comfortable in his offense. His on-ball possessions took too long to get going, and he often wound up back where started at the top of the key, swinging the ball to a bailout wing.
But McBride stepped up in a big way for the second matchup. He knocked down jumpers whenever he got space at distance and put defenders off balance for pull-up jumpers in the midrange. I thoroughly enjoyed the handful of times he defended Tyrese Maxey, though Maxey found ways to score against the Knicks’ tenacious defender.
Deuce mimicked his starting counterpart. He got caught off-balance by Philadelphia’s aggression in the first game but bounced back with a vengeance in the second game. It’s one thing for our stars to step up and adjust, but I’m even more excited to see role players like McBride respond to intense defense. That bodes well for McBride’s ability to stay strong in post-season intensity and adjustments. Deuce gets a 2.5 out of 5 for refusing to back down.
Alec Burks:
Game 1: 5 PTS (1/3 FG, 1/3 3PT, 2/2 FT), 1 REB, 1 TO in 12 mins
Game 2: 2 PTS (1/6 FG, 0/4 3PT), 1 AST, 2 REB in 11 mins
Alec Burks knocked down quick jumpers to start both games but failed to keep it up. He pressed for offense before his minutes started winding down, and it only got worse in the second game of this back-to-back.
Burks has to let the offense come to him rather than forcing the issue. If he could find any rhythm, the Knicks would have another floor spacer that can handle through pick and rolls. But it feels like a matter of time before he’s out of the rotation if this keeps up.
Bojan Bogdanovic:
Game 1: 10 PTS (4/8 FG, 2/4 3PT), 1 REB, 2 TO in 18 mins
Game 2: 0 PTS (0/2 FG, 0/1 3PT), 2 REB, 2 TO in 18 mins
Bojan Bogdanovic gave New York much-needed offense in the first game. He hit his threes and used his size to absorb the defensive physicality the Sixers used to throw others off. But his defense was still a liability that cut into his playing time. Buddy Hield was taking Bojan off the dribble and finishing at the rack.
The defensive woes carried into game two, while Bojan’s scoring didn’t. Hield finished one layup too many for Tom Thibodeau’s taste, and Bojan found his way to the bench shortly after. So, Bogdanovic’s impact failed to match his teammates.
As New York’s spacing improves, Bojan’s offense should open up. He’ll get more open looks and find opportunities to attack open lanes. But his defensive struggles cap his ceiling, and his offense might not feel as necessary once everyone else is healthy. Bogdanovic gets a 1.5 out of 5, with his defensive struggles dragging his impact down.
Precious Achiuwa:
Game 1: 8 PTS (2/8 FG, 1/3 3PT, 3/4 FT), 9 REB, 2 STL, 3 BLK, 3 TO in 36 mins
Game 2: 13 PTS (6/8 FG, 0/1 3PT, 1 AST, 8 REB, 2 BLK, 4 TO in 24 mins
Precious Achiuwa’s defense and physicality were welcome sights during the struggles in game one. But he also tried to do too much offensively, most notably on a three-point attempt during clutch time of the close contest. It made sense for him to shoot some threes because the Sixers cheated off him so often. But he picked some bad moments to try and shoehorn in his offense.
Game two saw Achiuwa slide to the second unit, where he thrived. Achiuwa’s defense didn’t skip a beat, and I’m amazed that he only had two blocks. He challenged everything inside and altered far more shots. Precious’ interior presence also led to some impressive offensive rebounds and putbacks. He picked up points easily and never had to force the issue.
After playing well against starters, Achiuwa looked like an NBA pro getting warmup reps against G-Leagues when he faced Philly’s second unit. His defensive versatility complemented Deuce McBride’s on-ball pressure and added a new dimension to the bench. This could be a potent group! Achiuwa gets a 3 out of 5 for a solid first game and a great second performance.
Jericho Sims:
Game 1: 4 PTS (2/3 FG), 6 REB, 2 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO in 23 mins
Game 2: 0 PTS (0/0 FG), 3 REB in 6 mins
Jericho Sims showed promise in the first half of game one. He set good screens, got good position under rebounds, and slammed a couple of field goals home. But his impact dwindled as the game wore on. He doesn’t provide the same intimidation at the rim as his taller counterparts.
With Anunoby back for game two, Sims was the odd man out of the rotation. He saw minutes in garbage time of the blowout but didn’t get a chance to do anything meaningful.
Tom Thibodeau’s worst nightmare, followed by his dream game
Tom Thibodeau couldn’t ask for a worse night than game one. His floor spacers couldn’t shoot, and his offensive engine couldn’t avoid double-teams. All the quirks and motions that helped New York survive life without its front court came to a halt. Worst of all, there was hardly anything he could do about it.
But that made game two and OG’s return that much sweeter. Suddenly, the offense that looked hamstrung in game one seemed overwhelming in game two. His already great defensive scheme looked even more impenetrable with Anunoby to boost it. We saw Thibodeau’s schemes bottom out one day and hit their peak the next.
Now imagine what it’ll look like when Randle and Mitch come back.
Closing Thoughts:
I’m a big fan of tempering expectations, especially after one performance against an opponent without their star player. But it’s hard not to get excited after OG’s return. He’s a force multiplier for everything that works in Tom Thibodeau’s scheme.
OG frees up DiVo and Josh Hart to run amok off the ball while helping on-ball defenders equally effectively. His presence in the corner creates more space for Brunson to attack the lanes and for Hartenstein to slide freely from post position to dunking spot. Everyone looks better because of OG’s presence.
The domino effect that OG has will be replicated again when Julius Randle’s post presence and passing rejoins the starting lineup and sends the force, Josh Hart, into a super-sixth-man role. Then again, when Mitchell Robinson’s interior presence combines with Hartenstein’s for 48 minutes of rebounding and rim protection. I can’t temper my expectations when the future seems so tantalizing.
Portland’s next, and that’s a chance to build more momentum before a tough road stretch begins. I’ll see you next time, Knicks fam!
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