The New York Knicks got destroyed by the Detroit Pistons right before the All-Star break, but it also provided them with the ultimate OG Anunoby confirmation. Even though he shot the ball terribly, he was still the only player on the entire Knicks roster with a positive plus/minus.
In their ugly 126-111 loss to the Pistons, nobody on the Knicks was worse on offense than Anunoby. He was truly awful. Yet his impact was still clear as day because of what he was able to do on the defensive side of the ball. It’s no coincidence that he was the only positive plus/minus on the team.
That’s just how impactful Anunoby is.
OG Anunoby proved his defensive value in loss to Pistons
In the 15-point loss, Anunoby put up eight points. That’s it. He didn’t grab any rebounds or dish out any assists. The Knicks forward shot a measly 2-of-13 from the field and 1-of-8 from beyond the three-point arc.
Again, it was a disastrous performance on the offensive end. But again, Anunoby still found a way to make his impact clear.
Anunoby ended the night with a game-high four blocks. He was roaming around the floor constantly. Anunoby held Cade Cunningham to 4-of-9 shooting from the field in 6:03. (And he blocked him twice.)
Obviously, the Knicks want Anunoby to be a two-way player. He needs to step things up on the offensive end if he wants to help the Knicks win a championship this season.
But it was a clear confirmation of the type of player Anunoby is. An obvious example of the baseline that Anunoby brings on a game-to-game basis. The Knicks always know that, at the very least, Anunoby will be an absolute monster on the defensive end.
At all times, Anunoby will be one of the best defenders on the basketball court. New York has one of the best defenders in the world. That’s an incredible advantage that they get to have on a nightly basis.
The game against the Pistons was a mess. The Knicks got clobbered, and considering Detroit is the best team in the East, that’s not a great sign heading into the playoffs.
But if nothing else, they got another example of how valuable Anunoby is. He was only a +1, but nobody else on the Knicks had a positive plus/minus.
Defense has never been more crucial to winning, and it’s only going to get more important once the postseason starts. Anunoby is as good as it gets on that end of the court.