After acquiring Anunoby, are the Knicks still hunting for another critical piece?
Since becoming a Knick via a trade with his former team, the Toronto Raptors, on December 30, forward OG Anunoby’s impact on his new team has been pivotal. They are 10-2 with him going into tonight’s game at Madison Square Garden versus the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets.
The 6-7 Anunoby’s reputation as a low-maintenance, elite defender who can guard all five positions has been bolstered. The 27-17 Knicks have the second best defensive rating in the NBA since Anunoby entered their lineup. On Tuesday in a 108-103 win over Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center, the Knicks’ fourth straight win, his offense and defense in the fourth quarter was the catalyst for New York overtaking Brooklyn after trailing 85-76 to start the period.
Anunoby posted six points from 8:18 to 6:56 to help keep the Knicks within 95-89 as they outscored the Nets 19-8 the rest of the game. On the other end of the court, he harassed the Nets into turnovers and tough shots. Anunoby’s stat line included four steals, two blocks and plus-minus of plus-11, second on the team behind Precious Achiuwa’s plus-13.
Achiuwa came to the Knicks with Anunoby in the trade with the Raptors and closed out the game strongly at the center spot against the Nets filling in for starter Isaiah Hartenstein, who sat out the contest with an inflamed and sore left Achilles. The absence ended Hartenstein’s streak of playing in 164 straight games.
Achiuwa logged 27 minutes and Jericho Sims, who started at center, gave the Knicks 27 solid minutes, blocking four shots and adding six points. Julius Randle tied for the team lead in points with 30, and registered nine rebounds and seven assists. Jalen Brunson also had 30 points.
“We just kept grinding. Obviously, they were pretty much beating us all game,” said Brunson. “They were playing well. They started the game pretty well.”
The Knicks, currently the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference, still have more roster construction to engineer before they are a firm conference finals contender. Perhaps obtaining Dejounte Murray of the Atlanta Hawks, a two-way natural point guard who currently plays off of the ball in the backcourt with Trae Young, would move the Knicks closer to the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks.
Murray seemingly will be dealt from the Atlanta Hawks by the Thursday, February 8 NBA trade deadline. The 27-year-old, 6-5, seven-year veteran is on the final year of a four-year contract signed when was still a member of the San Antonio Spurs and will become an unrestricted free-agent this summer. The 2022 All-Star is represented by Rich Paul’s Klutch Sports Group.
Murray is a complete guard who is an efficient scorer and proficient defender, capable of matching up with opponents’ point and shooting guards, as well as small forwards with excellent positional size and length. He is the Hawks’ second leading scorer behind Young (26.9) at 21.4 on 47% field goal shooting, 39% on 3-point attempts and 83.2% from the foul line in addition to posting 5 rebounds and 5 assists per game.
The Knicks have Evan Fournier and his expiring contract, Quentin Grimes, and a plethora of draft picks as assets to offer the Hawks.
After the Nuggets, the Knicks will host the Miami Heat at MSG on Saturday afternoon, will be in Charlotte on Monday to face the Hornets and back at the Garden next Tuesday to take on the Utah Jazz.
The post After acquiring Anunoby, are the Knicks still hunting for another critical piece? appeared first on New York Amsterdam News.