Any rust that New York Knicks stalwart OG Anunoby might have had from a three-week injury lay-off was clearly shaken off by his second game back on Sunday against the Orlando Magic.
The forward posted 21 points in 27 while shooting 5-of-7 from three-point range with seven rebounds and three steals in the Knicks’ 106-100 victory in the Madison Square Garden matinee, ensuring they remain almost-unbeatable at home this season — and exacting some revenge on the very same Magic team that is the only visiting squad to steal a victory from New York this season.
Anunoby was a team-high plus-20 while on the floor, continuing to provide his trademark lockdown defense.
“The versatility that OG gives us is unbelievable at his size; he can guard a lot of different people,” head coach Mike Brown said. “Having that size and versatility defensively is huge. He can guard 1 through 5. Then you flip it, his shooting, his ability to attack the rim, all those things at his size are huge for us… To have that on the floor for a guy that can get you seven rebounds is big.”
The Knicks are now 13-1 at home, matching their best start at MSG since 1992-93. Only the defending-champion Oklahoma City Thunder has a better mark at home in the NBA this season.
Overall, New York (16-7) has won seven of its last eight games, and did so on Sunday without starting center Karl-Anthony Towns, who had been a game-time decision with left calf tightness. In his place, Mitchell Robinson was his usual menacing self on the boards, complementing eight points with 13 rebounds (eight on the offensive glass).
Knicks star point guard Jalen Brunson posted 30 points with nine assists, doing so in an inconsistent showing that saw him post 16 points in the first quarter and then go pointless in the second. Josh Hart, who continues to cement himself as an invaluable starter, added 17 with 12 rebounds.
Fortified defense coupled with cold shooting from the Magic in the second half helped the Knicks open up a comfortable enough lead after trailing by one, 55-54, at halftime. While Orlando endured a stretch in which it missed 13 of 14 shots between the third and fourth quarters, New York opened their largest lead of the afternoon at 16 a minute and a half into the final stanza. The visitors were held to just 18 points in the third quarter.
“We had to get back in transition to limit their fast-break points and try to lead with your chest when guarding the basketball,” Brown said. “I give our guys credit. Orlando had three fast-break points in the third and zero free-throw attempts. That was a big third quarter for us.”
Regardless, this Magic team that had already beaten the Knicks twice this season hung tough despite losing one of their stars, Franz Wagner, to what appeared to be a serious lower left leg injury during the first quarter. New York also lost reserve guard Deuce McBride in the third quarter due to an undisclosed injury.
The Knicks led by 12 with 1:43 remaining in the game and 10 with 45 ticks left, but lackadaisical play from the bench unit quickly made things a bit too close for comfort, forcing Hart and Brunson to go back on the floor to see things out.
“We should’ve ended the game a little better than we did,” Hart told MSG Network. “We’ll address that. But a good win.”
Things got chippy down the stretch when Magic shooting guard Desmond Bane wound up like a pitcher and threw the basketball off the backside of Anunoby, who had fallen out of bounds under the basket after being blocked by Anthony Black while driving for a layup. Bane was assessed a technical foul.
