The New York Knicks’ plan to slow down Cade Cunningham boiled down to one man.
“OG Anunoby,” forward Josh Hart said. “Just OG Anunoby, man.”
Against the Detroit Pistons’ star in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series, Anunoby limited a playmaking force that had ripped apart the Knicks throughout the regular season. In four previous meetings this season, the 23-year-old guard averaged 30.8 points, five rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game.
On Saturday night at Madison Square Garden, Cunningham was held to 21 points on 8-of-21 shooting by Anunoby, who poured in 23 points with seven rebounds, five steals, and two blocks in New York’s 123-112 win.
Dominant 4th quarter lifts Knicks to Game 1 win over Pistons
“I just tried to make it as difficult as possible,” Anunoby said. “Make his catches difficult, pressure him, be aggressive. Just try to force him into tough shots.”
Cunningham shot just 3-of-10 with six points in the first half. By the time he found any semblance of a rhythm, the Knicks overturned a 91-83 deficit behind a stifling 21-0 run, and put Game 1 to bed.
“They sent bodies at me… They made sure that every time I came off, they were checking me,” Cunningham said. “They were sending bodies at me all the time trying to get the ball out of my hands. They were on the same accord today. I just wasn’t able to pick them apart enough.”
This is exactly what New York signed up for when they agreed to a massive $212 million contract over the summer. Anunoby is one of the elite defenders in the game, tasked in shutting down the opposition’s best talents. The offensive production, which included a trio of three pointers, is an added bonus.
“OG loves those kind of matchups,” Hart, who scored 13 points with seven boards, said. “Especially in the playoffs when you can be physical. He’s a physical guy, able to get through screens and those kind of things. We need his offense obviously, but more important was his defense.”
Game 2 of the Knicks’ first-round series against the Pistons tips off at 7:30 p.m. ET on Monday night at Madison Square Garden.
