OG Anunoby is riding high off of arguably his best performance of the 2025-26 season. He tallied a season-high 34 points on 11-of-17 shooting, as well as seven rebounds, five assists, four steals, and a block. Behind his brilliance, the New York Knicks dominated Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets, running away with a 142-103 statement win.
Though it was a season-high scoring performance from Anunoby, it was also the continuation of a trend that's seen him at his most assertive when postseason-caliber teams are across the court.
Anunoby has attempted at least 15 field goals in 16 games during the 2025-26 regular season. 13 of the 16 games during that time were played against teams that are on pace to either make the playoffs or qualify for the Play-In Tournament.
Two of the three exceptions to that rule were the Chicago Bulls and Memphis Grizzlies, which are the No. 11 and No. 12 seeds in their respective conferences—still within reach of the Play-In Tournament.
Anunoby still faces criticism for being too passive in regard to how he utilizes his almost unstoppable combination of size, power, athleticism, and skill. The fact that the most assertive version of him tends to show up against the highest caliber of opponents, however, is an unavoidably intriguing fact.
There have, of course, been games during which Anunoby hasn't imposed himself enough as a scorer, but after fans spent the past two-and-a-half seasons asking for Anunoby to embrace a more aggressive mentality, he finally is.
13 of OG Anunoby's 16 games with 15+ FGA were against playoff or play-in teams
It should surprise no one that New York is at its best when Anunoby is playing with an assertive mentality on the offensive end of the floor. It's 13-3 when he attempts at least 15 field goals and 20-14 when he plays but fails to reach that magic number.
Thankfully, Anunoby has turned a corner by attempting at least 15 field goals during eight of the Knicks' past 16 games.
It should come as no surprise that New York has played its best basketball of the season during that 16-game stretch. It's gone 13-3 with Anunoby in the lineup, securing two wins over the Nuggets, as well as victories over the likes of Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers, and Toronto Raptors.
Anunoby scored at least 20 points in at least one game against each of those five postseason-paced teams, with a 26-point performance against Toronto being followed by 15 in a rematch.
If Anunoby can continue to play with a determination to score with volume, the Knicks can compete with anyone. They rank No. 1 in winning percentage, net rating, and defensive rating over their past 21 games, and Anunoby's surge as a scorer plays a direct role in that success.
After spending the better part of the previous two seasons waiting to see Anunoby find his niche as a scorer, it appears as though the Knicks wing finally realizes he can be a star.