OG Anunoby didn’t follow the Knicks’ winning formula.
For the second consecutive game, he was remarkably passive, ending with just two points and making only 1-of-6 shots during the 115-93 defeat against the Celtics on Saturday afternoon at Madison Square Garden.
Including last year’s postseason, the Knicks are a perfect 8-0 in playoff games in which Anunoby attempts 14 or more field goals.
But after Saturday’s loss, they are now 5-9 when he attempts fewer than 14 field goals.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla remarked, “He’s a fantastic player, so it’s not always possible to limit him like that. He excels in the half-court setting with help reads and is one of the top defenders when it comes to intercepting passes and initiating fast breaks. The best defensive approach is to challenge them through correct spacing and judicious decision-making, avoiding live-ball turnovers that enable them to capitalize in transition. It’s crucial to focus on those fine details.”
Anunoby’s lone points came on a dunk midway through the third quarter. He also was a team-worst minus-25.
He did not speak to the media after the game.
The Knicks survived a quiet Anunoby showing in Game 2, when he had just five points on 2-for-9 shooting.
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But the way the Celtics shot Saturday, the Knicks needed help from all their secondary scorers.
Instead, Anunoby was nearly invisible.
The last two games came after Anunoby erupted for 29 points on 10-for-20 shooting from the field and 6-for-11 shooting from 3-point range in Game 1.
It was the kind of all-around performance that represented Anunoby’s status as the franchise’s highest-paid player ever.
But seven total points across the past two games is not going to cut it.
The Knicks need him to be way more aggressive.
Both Mazzulla and Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau pointed to the lack of Celtics turnovers preventing easy transition points for Anunoby.
The Celtics committed just eight turnovers, and the Knicks had just eight fast break points.
Thibodeau commented about Anunoby, “We lacked defensive stops and failed to transition to the open court as we intended. When we execute that, it usually leads to easy scoring opportunities for everyone, improving our overall offensive play.”
