OG Anunoby’s 40-point night vs. Nuggets lifts Knicks to 5th win in last 6 games

“O-G! O-G! O-G!”

The rhythmic chant echoed done Ball Arena, emanating from a tiny but spirited contingent of Knicks fans successful the sellout crowd. Two-letter names person a mode of rolling disconnected the tongue, and for OG Anunoby, it was a fitting soundtrack to a vocation night.

Anunoby was successful afloat “go-mode,” and the Knicks followed his lead, dismantling the 2023 NBA champion Denver Nuggets with a connection 145-118 triumph connected Monday night. In the 3rd halt of their five-game roadworthy trip, New York enactment connected an violative clinic, fueled by Anunoby’s career-high 40-point eruption connected 16-of-23 shooting from the field, including a 5-of-7 shooting nighttime from beyond the arc.

With 38 points already nether his loop by the extremity of the 3rd quarter, the Knicks faithful welcomed Anunoby to the seat with thunderous chants of his name.

Karl-Anthony Towns, seated beside him, waved the assemblage on, relishing the infinitesimal arsenic their squad cruised to victory.

Monday marked Anunoby’s eighth 20-point crippled of the season, each coming successful November, underscoring his emergence arsenic a dual-threat star. Signed to a franchise-record five-year, $212.5 cardinal declaration successful the offseason for his antiaircraft prowess, Anunoby has exceeded expectations connected the violative end.

His two-way interaction was connected afloat show against Denver. Not lone did helium torch the Nuggets with his scoring, but helium besides contributed defensively, helping to stifle three-time MVP Nikola Jokic. Anunoby tallied 1 block, a cardinal 1 connected Jokic, who entered the crippled averaging a triple-double with 30.3 points, 13.9 rebounds, and 11.3 assists. Jokic finished with a humble 22 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists earlier sitting retired the last 4th arsenic the Knicks’ relentless onslaught rendered the crippled retired of reach.

With the win, the Knicks person present taken 5 of their past six games, including a expanse of the last 3 contests of a four-game homestand. Their victims see 2 wins implicit cross-bridge rival Brooklyn and a blowout of the lowly Washington Wizards. Monday’s triumph implicit the Nuggets, however, holds greater significance.

Denver whitethorn not presently lucifer its championship-winning form, but it remains a formidable opponent. The Knicks didn’t conscionable bushed the Nuggets — they dominated from commencement to finish, sending a connection to the remainder of the league.

The Knicks acceptable the code early, starring 18-16 with 4:30 near successful the archetypal 4th earlier closing the play connected an 18-8 run. By halftime, they had built a commanding lead, acknowledgment to a 40-point 2nd quarter, and their defence held Denver to conscionable 29 points successful the frame.

The violative firepower was a stark opposition to their erstwhile outing, a disappointing nonaccomplishment to the Utah Jazz successful which they managed lone 106 points. This time, the Knicks made a statement, leaving nary uncertainty astir their intentions arsenic contenders.

While Anunoby stole the show, helium wasn’t unsocial successful his heroics. Towns delivered a masterpiece, finishing with 30 points, 15 rebounds, and 4 assists connected an ultra-efficient 12-of-15 shooting night. Towns’ floor-spacing and versatility person been pivotal for New York’s offense, and his chemistry with Jalen Brunson continues to blossom.

Brunson, meanwhile, has continued his playmaking spree, finishing with 23 points and a career-high 17 assists. Monday night’s show marked the 4th of his past 5 games with 10 oregon much assists.

Russell Westbrook came disconnected the seat to people 27 points connected 9-of-16 shooting, including 4-of-7 from deep. While his late-game surge made things momentarily interesting, the Nuggets ne'er genuinely threatened the Knicks, who won each 4 quarters individually.

The Knicks tallied 45 full squad assists and committed conscionable 9 turnovers — a feat nary squad had accomplished since 1991.

With momentum connected their side, the Knicks present look a caller challenge: a matchup with the reigning Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks. For Brunson, it’s a instrumentality to the squad wherever helium blossomed into a star. But this time, the stakes are different.

The Mavericks, missing Luka Doncic owed to a wrist strain, volition thin heavy connected erstwhile Nets defender Kyrie Irving. Irving volition apt gully the antiaircraft attraction of Anunoby, whose blistery streak connected discourtesy and lockdown defence could beryllium the cardinal to securing different roadworthy win.