The New York Knicks have finished the 2024-25 regular season at 0-4 against the Boston Celtics. It's a devastating truth that paints a bleak picture considering the Celtics and Knicks are on a collision course for a second-round matchup in the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
Thankfully, New York appears to have figured out how to alter the results during the 2025 NBA Playoffs—assuming health permits it to transpire.
Boston and New York's season series began in a lopsided manner, with the defending NBA champions dominating consecutive games. It's since become more competitive, however, with the Knicks pushing the Celtics to overtime in the most recent encounter.
One of the primary reasons the rivalry has become more competitive has been the emergence of OG Anunoby as a defensive answer to Jayson Tatum.
On the season,
— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) April 9, 2025
Jayson Tatum is 4-of-16 from the floor (25%) with three assists and two turnovers when defended by OG Anunoby.
On the season,
Jayson Tatum is 13-of-19 from the floor (68%) with seven assists and zero turnovers when defended by Mikal Bridges.
The second statistic may be concerning, but the Knicks have every reason to believe Anunoby can continue to make life difficult for Tatum.
OG Anunoby has found success defending Jayson Tatum
Boston has gone through yet another regular season in remarkable form. In addition to going 4-0 against the Knicks, the Celtics are 59-21 overall. That includes a 27-6 record since Jan. 29 that seemingly has them ready to repeat as NBA champions.
Signs are beginning to point toward the Knicks giving the Celtics a greater run for their money than previously anticipated, however, and Anunoby plays a significant role in that development.
Anunoby is widely regarded as one of the best defensive players in the NBA. He's living up to that reputation against Boston, forcing Tatum out of his comfort zone and creating opportunities for the Knicks to get stops against an otherwise unguardable player.
For perspective on how rare it is to slow Tatum down, he's averaging 27.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 3.5 three-point field goals made per game in 2024-25.
Now entering the playoffs with championship experience, the task of preventing Tatum from scoring will prove tougher than ever. He boasts a career postseason average of 24.0 points per game, including a mark of 26.2 points per contest since 2020.
Even Superman has kryptonite, however, and the Knicks appear to have a form of it for Tatum when Anunoby is the primary defender.
To make matters even more intriguing, Anunoby is in the midst of a significant leap toward stardom on offense. He's averaging 23.3 points per game since Mar. 1 and 26.3 points per contest over his past 11 appearances.
If Anunoby can continue to score and defend at this remarkable level, the Knicks will have a chance to win any series they play.