Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Luka Doncic, Jason Kidd, & Mavericks Praise O.G. Anunoby: 'He's an Amazing Player'
For all the talk about O.G. Anunoby getting "meaner" this season, as Fred VanVleet has put it all year, sometimes it pays to be known as a nice guy.
Take early in the fourth quarter of Saturday's game, for example. Anunoby chased down Luka Doncic from behind before leaping up to block a shot from the Dallas Mavericks MVP candidate. Doncic undercut him, though, taking out his legs as Anunoby crashed to the ground. It wasn't a dirty play, but an awkward one and Doncic knew it. Feeling badly about the play, Doncic paused for a moment, extending his hand to Anunoby before rushing back on defense.
"I think he is probably one of the nicest dudes in the league," Doncic said of his Toronto Raptors counterpart. "He never talks trash, he never does anything, but I tripped him not on purpose, so that's why I helped him up."
After so long as an awkward injury-plagued young prospect, Anunoby is beginning to garner the respect of his peers as one of the league's premier two-way players. He's shouldering more of the offensive workload than ever before in his career while also maintaining truly elite defense night after night.
"He's an amazing player and I would say on both ends," Doncic added. "I think he is the steals leader in the NBA, but offensively he got so much better. I'm impressed with his game."
"O.G. is playing at a very high level at both ends," said Mavericks coach Jason Kidd. "He's talked about as a defensive player of the year with the impact he can have on the defensive side of the ball. You always gotta know where he's at on the defensive end and understand he can break up a lot of plays."
That defense has always been there from Anunoby when he's been healthy, but lately, he's flourished on the offensive end, stepping into the void left by the injured Pascal Siakam and averaging 22 points over his last 10 outings.
"He's a threat at all levels," Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber added on Anunoby. "Can shoot from outside, is really great in post-ups. He is physical. ... You can't leave guys on an island [against Anunoby], so you kind of like have to over help and then this gets the blender going, rotations going, and he's doing a great job being calm and playing his style."
Further Reading
Chris Boucher continues to provide a spark as Raptors knock off Luka Doncic & the Mavericks
Jeff Dowtin Jr. has been turning heads in limited action: 'He's been pretty solid'
Ben Simmons praises Raptors' defense: Toronto is a 'tough, tough, tough team'
