OG Anunoby Far and Away Knicks' Biggest January Winner
The New York Knicks' New Year's resolutions appear to be panning out.
After winning 14 of 16 in the month of January, in Jan the Knicks are comfortably situated in the Eastern Conference playoff picture: despite seeing their nine-game winning streak end against the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, New York (32-18) currently places fourth on the bracket, 1.5 games behind Milwaukee for second.
Brad Penner, USA TODAY SPORTS
The obvious turning point has been the trade for OG Anunoby, who came over from Toronto in exchange for homegrown stars RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley on Dec. 30. Anunoby's January efforts were recognized by Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey, who credited the former Raptor for shifting the Knicks' fortunes, particularly on the defensive end, when listing the NBA's most prominent winners and losers for January.
"The first and most obvious upgrades he brought to the team came in the form of defense and physicality," Bailey writes. "He's very much a Tom Thibodeau-like player, and his aggression on that end of the floor has had this team looking a bit like the '90s-variety Knicks at times. But perhaps just as importantly, Anunoby's offense is a much better fit alongside Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle than RJ Barrett's was."
Anunoby is averaging 16 points per game on 51 percent from the field, but his impact goes far beyond the stat sheet. The defense and versatility that he brings at the small forward position is exactly what the Knicks needed, and he was one of the biggest reasons behind the team's January turnaround.
The Knicks probably missed Anunoby's skillset on Saturday: the team allowed the Lakers to score 33 points in the final period in what became a 113-105 loss. Anunoby could only watch, as he missed his fourth straight game with elbow inflammation.
Time will tell if Anunoby is able to return to the Knicks' lineup on Tuesday when they host the Memphis Grizzlies (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG).
