OG Anuboby has been a marvelous two-way player, particularly since joining the New York Knicks last season in a trade with the Toronto Raptors. His value was clearly noticed by the team, who re-signed him on a five-year, $212.5 million contract last offseason. That is the richest contract in Knicks franchise history. After New York shocked the world by beating the Boston Celtics in the first two games of their second round matchup, they lost Game 3. OG Anunoby provided little on offense, and this playoff stat shows why he needs to be more assertive.
OG Anunoby Stat Shows Why Knicks Need Him More Assertive
Game 3 Provided Little On Offense
After back-to-back 20-point comebacks by the Knicks over Boston, there was none in Game 3. New York never could string together a long run after a slow start, and they lost by 22.
Missing in action on the offensive end was the 27-year-old Anuboby. He finished the outing with two points on 1-6 shooting. While the Knicks won Game 2, he wasn’t much more productive scoring five on 2-9 from the field. Those two games came after an excellent Game 1 where he dropped 29 points.
The Game 3 loss continued a trend for Anuboby when it comes to the playoffs. The magic number in the postseason for Anuboby is 14.
Why 14? When the 6-foot-7 forward has at least 14 field goal attempts in a postseason contest with New York, they are 8-0. Anuboby hasn’t reached that total number of shots in 10 playoff games with his current team, and they have went just 4-6. Being he missed four games of last year’s playoffs due to a strained left hamstring, you can say they are 5-9 in those game he attempts less than 14 (went 1-3 without him).
OG Anunoby didn’t follow the #Knicks’ winning formula.
He had just two points and took just six shots in Game 3.
The Knicks are 8-0 in playoff games in which he attempts 14 or more field goals, but are now 5-9 when he attempts fewer than 14:
https://t.co/V1gJqG1NLE pic.twitter.com/wDtgjqNbwo
— Jared Schwartz (@jschwartz115) May 11, 2025
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Prior to these last two outings against Boston, Anunoby had reached double-digits in field goal attempts in every postseason game with the Knicks except one. That was Game 7 against the Indiana Pacers last year. He tried to return from his hamstring injury, but played just around five minutes.
Knicks Need More From Anunoby In Game 4
While the Knicks are still up 2-1 in their series, they have been getting off to slow starts. It may not be sustainable to fall behind by at least 20 every game and still find a way to win games as they did in Games 1 and 2. Points have come at a premium in the three games against the Celtics, and New York hasn’t scored more than 100 in regulation in any of them.
Now in his eighth NBA season, it is imperative that the Knicks see a more assertive Anunoby in Game 4. If the Celtics win again, especially if they do again in blowout fashion, many of the positive vibes after the first two games would be gone.
Game 4 will take place on Monday night at Madison Square Garden. It has been a strange postseason for the Knicks as they are 5-0 on the road and just 1-3 at home.
Photo credit: © Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
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