Through the first month of the NBA season, the New York Knicks’ new-look offense is as potent as advertised. Trading Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo for Karl Anthony Towns aimed to raise the team’s championship ceiling.
To this point, that goal seems attainable, at least offensively. New York boasts the NBA’s third-ranked offense (123.2 points per 100 possessions), according to Cleaning the Glass. Critical for its playoff outlook, this offensive success holds up in the half-court, still ranking third in that category (105.8 offensive rating). It’s the Knicks’ highest-ranking half-court offense since 2011.
While Towns and Jalen Brunson deserve a large share of the credit, this mark wouldn’t be possible without OG Anunoby’s presence. His defense tends to deservingly rise to the forefront, but he’s having the best offensive season of his career. He’s tallying 17.8 points per game on 62.5 percent true shooting (five points above league average), both career-high numbers.
The Knicks’ Offense Sets Him Up Well
Operating off of Towns and Brunson has allowed him to scorch defenses as a third attacker. His current role is more streamlined than ever; Anunoby shoots off of the catch, attacks closeouts, cuts to the hoop and creates occasionally. A significant portion of his shots have been assisted this season — 86.7 percent overall, 81.1 percent at the rim, 71.4 percent from midrange and 100 percent of his threes. All four of those are career-highs.
Teams sell out to limit Brunson and Towns in pick-and-rolls, especially Towns, who’s having arguably the best offensive season of his career. Anunoby has been Towns’ most frequent target, converting 15 field goals off of the big man’s assists — the most of any Knick.
Defenses prioritize preventing Towns from shooting, and Anunoby thrives cutting and relocating as a response to that. According to Synergy, 10.2 percent of his possessions come via cuts, scoring a blistering 1.68 points per possession on those plays. It’s his highest cutting frequency since 2019-20, when his efficiency (1.125 PPP) was notably lower.
When defenses blitz and trap New York’s offensive engines, Anunoby often slips behind unnoticed. His timing and patience make it work. Anunoby never rushes his forays to the rim. Even when defenders can react in time, he’ll easily outmuscles them. He’s finishing a career-high 67.9 percent of his shots within 5 feet of the hoop (72nd percentile).
He’s just as deadly as the screener himself. When he screens for Brunson or Towns, defenses usually allocate the majority of their resources to stopping the handler. It’s tempting to switch these actions, especially with Brunson, but Anunoby can slip to the hoop unnoticed for easy finishes.
og anunoby is such a deadly screening option for KAT and brunson, defenses can’t allocate the resources they need and OG is killing in space as a driver/cutter pic.twitter.com/mmbRS9t8Rq
— ben pfeifer (@bjpf_) November 25, 2024
Anunoby’s cuts blur with his post-up chances, where he’s also excelling. He posts up on 7.3 percent of his possessions (1.278 PPP), his highest frequency since 2021-22 (0.824 PPP). Nearly all of his post-up buckets and foul drawing come in early offense, where he feasts on switches and early seals. He’s aggressively imposing himself against mismatches before defenses can set and scramble.
Ranking 28th in pace and 26th in transition frequency (14.1 percent), the Knicks aren’t a high-volume transition team. They’re incredibly efficient on those chances, though, especially off of steals, which Anunoby generates frequently. Whether it’s through switches, semi-transition or poor matchups, he’s a handful to slow down low.
the knicks are destroying opposing defenses on switches/matchup advs and og anunoby is a big part of it. he’s having the best offensive season of his career so far
such a monster mismatch hunter with the strength+touch+functional enough handle to find his shots wherever pic.twitter.com/uMiHUaqHma
— ben pfeifer (@bjpf_) November 25, 2024
His minimal creation burden has likely helped spike his efficiency. He’ll probably never develop into an efficient volume creator for himself and others. This season, Anunoby spends 6.1 percent of his possessions as the pick-and-roll handler, his lowest frequency since 2019-20.
The Knicks are the league’s most efficient team from midrange (50 percent) with the fourth-highest frequency (27.9 percent), according to Dunks and Threes. Anunoby contributes here, especially as an off-ball scorer. He’s feasting against closeouts, where his burst, strength and power can burn a tilted defense.
there aren’t many closeout attackers better than og anunoby, who’s athleticism, power and control make him nearly unstoppable with a head of steam to the rim
he’s attacking so confidently right now. so many easy buckets for him to create pic.twitter.com/DAkBWhtQGt
— ben pfeifer (@bjpf_) November 25, 2024
Anunoby’s 3-Point Shooting Is Critical
None of this off-ball scoring would be possible without his floor-spacing. He’s established himself as an elite catch-and-shoot threat, making a career-high 40 percent of his 3-pointers this season. He’s sprinkling in more attempts off of movement and expanding his offensive versatility.
Given the confidence he’s playing with, it’s dangerous to ignore Anunoby on the perimeter. But the Knicks’ offense leaves defenses in no-win situations. Allotting a defender to stick with Anunoby may let Brunson and Towns torch favorable matchups in one-on-ones and two-man actions.
Mikal Bridges’s relative inefficiency (54.3 percent true shooting) has made Anunoby’s presence all the more valuable and important. He’s in the perfect spot for his complementary skill-set to thrive — added to the interior creation and off-catch attacking he brings. Certain teams simply won’t have the bodies to match him on the wing.
If New York hopes to reach its championship ceiling, its 21st-ranked defense must improve. Anunoby is one of the best wing defenders in the NBA and has played as such this season. Hopefully, factoring in Mitchell Robinson’s eventual return, the rest of the roster can pull its weight.
No Knick will be more important to their two-way success individually than Anunoby. Early in the season, he’s playing like a fringe All-Star. We should continue reframing our understanding of him as one of the NBA’s best complementary options offensively. His first month of 2024-25 is the perfect reason why.
