It’s hard to imagine that many people expected OG Anunoby to make a huge leap forward on offense when the New York Knicks signed him to a five-year, $212.5 million deal in the offseason. Not only is he making that leap, he’s quickly becoming a top option for the Knicks and could be in the All-Star conversation.
Anunoby had his best game of the season on Monday against the Denver Nuggets. He scored a career-high 40 points on 16-of-23 shooting from the field and 5-of-7 from three. Defensively, he did his usual job there as well, with Nuggets players going 7-of-21 with Anunoby as their primary defender.
This season has seen a different version of Anunoby, as he’s willing to score in more ways than just catch-and-shoot threes. He’s had a big impact cutting into the paint and creating his own mid-range shots along with his three-point shot.
His season averages aren’t so impressive that he immediately deserves the All-Star label, but his impact on winning is what makes him equally valuable to an All-Star and deserves to be recognized. There’s a chance the Knicks could end up with three All-Stars this year in Anunoby, Jalen Brunson, and Karl-Anthony Towns.
Of course, there’s no guarantee this streak will continue for Anunoby, as he could always end up decreasing in production as Brunson and Towns continue to develop chemistry. Regardless, Anunoby is having a record-breaking season this year, and his contributions to a winning team can’t be overlooked.