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When the New York Knicks punched their ticket to the NBA Finals, Jalen Brunson was the name on everyone’s lips. He deserved it, too. Brunson, after all, scored 45 points in the title-clinching Game 5, so he should get heaps of acclaim and more.
But there’s another player on the Knicks’ squad who’s just as important — one who carried a lot of the burden of the team’s playoff run. He is really the most important Knick going into next season. Once you think about what he does, it’s easy to see why.
Knicks’ Most Important Player Not Named Jalen Brunson is Clear
OG Anunoby is a Huge Piece of the New York Knicks ‘ Success
Brunson is always going to be the face of the New York Knicks. He’s the engine of the offense, the player with the ball in his hands when the game is on the line, and the reason Madison Square Garden believes every fourth quarter is worth watching.
But if you’re looking for the Knicks’ most important player who isn’t Brunson, the answer isn’t all that complicated. It’s OG Anunoby.
The scoreboard doesn’t always tell his story, and that’s part of what makes him so unassuming. Anunoby isn’t in the headlines or putting together flashy highlight reels every single night. He simply shows up, takes on the toughest assignment and does his thing.
That’s a role every team wants filled, but very few players can handle it at the level Anunoby does.
Whether he’s picking up an elite guard at half court or battling a bigger wing in the post, Anunoby gives the Knicks a defensive weapon few teams can match. He has the strength to deal with physical forwards, the quickness to stay in front of star guards, and the discipline to avoid making a bad bet and getting out of position.
That kind of versatility is so important to New York. It also gives other players the freedom to play to their strengths. Instead of carrying the toughest defensive matchup every night, they can rotate, help and pitch in based on what they already know they can do.
That’s where Anunoby’s impact really shows up. Sometimes the biggest contribution isn’t the play you make. It’s making everyone around you better. That’s simply a beautiful thing.
Karl-Anthony Towns, of course, deserves plenty of credit, too. His ability to stretch the floor, score all over the place and get opposing big men away from the basket gives the Knicks a great advantage. Still, offense has never been the Knicks’ biggest question.
Winning in the playoffs usually comes down to getting stops, especially against elite teams that can score from everywhere. That’s exactly where Anunoby earns his paycheck.
LeBron James Shouts Out OG Anunoby
Even LeBron James says Anunoby was the unsung hero of the Knicks’ NBA Finals showing.
During a live taping of his “Mind the Game” podcast at Fanatics Fest, he said, “Every time I felt like the Knicks was either having a time where they couldn’t score or they couldn’t get a stop, that guy made either a three in the corner or got to the hole, and obviously we know the tip in that he had after that crazy comeback that they had.”
So, Brunson will continue to lead the offense, and Towns gives New York another star sinking the shots. That’s great. But if the Knicks want to stay among the NBA’s elite and win another championship — and they do — Anunoby remains the player who holds so much of it together. His defense sets the tone, his versatility gives New York options few teams have and his willingness to embrace the difficult assignments is a big reason the Knicks are here to stay.
Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect
