The New York Knicks are facing some adversity, but they keep on winning. First, it was Julius Randle, who is out indefinitely after dislocating his right shoulder on Saturday against the Miami Heat. Now, OG Anunoby is dealing with an injury.
Knicks Continue Winning Streak Despite Injuries
Already short-handed, the New York Knicks got lousy news as OG Anunoby was ruled out before their game against the Charlotte Hornets tonight. Anunoby is dealing with an inflamed right elbow, an injury he aggravated during the pregame warmups, per the Knicks.
“He’s had it before, but it was one of those things that flared up,” coach Tom Thibodeau said after the Knicks 113-92 victory over the Hornets. “If he can’t play, he can’t play. Think it’s going to be day-to-day. It’s inflammation. So we’ll see where it is [for Tuesday’s game against the Jazz]. He went through shootaround. He was planning on playing. It was a late scratch.”
It is the first game that Anunoby has sat out since coming over from Toronto.
Anunoby has been playing well for the Knicks, averaging 15.6 points with a shooting slash line of .516/.391/.842. He also contributes 4.6 rebounds, 1.8 steals, and 1.1 blocks in 14 games. More importantly, the Knicks are outscoring opponents by an incredible 18 points a game with Anunoby on the court.
Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo Step Up
As a result of Randle and Anunoby being out, Josh Hart and Precious Achiuwa picked up starts.
Hart, Donte DiVincenzo, and Jalen Brunson combined for 68 points, 22 rebounds, 19 assists and five turnovers. The trio made 26 of 53 shots, including 7 of 24 from the 3-point line. Achiuwa added nine points, five rebounds, and one block in his first start for the Knicks.
Got the dub in Charlotte 💪
Brunson 32 PTS | 7 AST | 4 REB
Donte 28 PTS | 6 REB | 5 AST
Deuce 11 PTS | 1 STL
Hartenstein 10 PTS | 3 STL
Precious 9 PTS | 5 REB
Josh 8 PTS | 12 REB | 7 AST pic.twitter.com/izWV3ZA0Nn— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 30, 2024
New York enters tonight’s home contest against Utah on a season-high seven-game winning streak. Anunoby and Evan Fournier, who was not with the team in Charlotte due to personal reasons, are questionable for the game.
The Knicks have played some of the best basketball in the league since the calendar turned to 2024. They are an NBA-best 13-2 since Jan. 1 with a +15.4 scoring margin, the second-best in the league during this span.
A big reason for the Knicks’ recent success is their defense and work on the glass.
New York Owns NBA’s Top Defense Since January 1
New York continued their defensive prowess against Charlotte without LaMelo Ball, Mark Williams, and Gordon Hayward. While the raw numbers may not look strong, the Knicks turned in a top-10 performance (24 teams played last night).
New York held Charlotte to 37 of 81 (45.6%) shooting from the field and 11 of 32 (34.4%) from the 3-point line. The Knicks forced the Hornets into 13 turnovers and were whistled for 16 fouls, leading to just 14 free throw attempts for the Hornets.
However, Hornets coach Steve Clifford thought they should have had at least two more free-throw attempts. Clifford was tossed from the game in the fourth quarter for arguing a no-call after Brandon Miller caught an elbow from the Knicks’ Jericho Sims after he scored on a floater. Miller ended up on the floor holding his face.
“He got hit in the face. To me, they’ve got to see that,” Clifford said. “Again, you don’t want to get kicked out of the game. That doesn’t help anything. Handling frustration is a big part of this league, even when you’re a really good team, and in a situation like this, it’s critical that we all do it. That starts with me, so I can’t be doing that.”
Since the beginning of the New Year, New York tops the league with a defensive rating of 104. The Knicks have held seven of their 15 opponents to under the century mark this month.
The Knicks are holding opponents to 43.8% shooting from the field and 10.5 3-pointers during this stretch, both of which top the league. Their opponents are shooting 32.1% from the 3-point line, the second-lowest mark over the last 15 games.
Other Tidbits
New York tops the league in rebounds per game (48.1) and is second in offensive rebounds (12.1) since January 1.
Brunson has topped the 30-point mark in nine of his 13 appearances in January. He is having his best month of the season, compiling 28.8 points on 50.2% from the field, including 37.9% from the 3-point line, and 7.6 assists.
DiVincenzo’s 28 points were his second-highest-scoring game of the season. His five triples were also his second most of the campaign and the fifth time he has knocked down at least that many treys. It was also the fifth time DiVincenzo had topped the 20-point mark.
Hart tied his season-high with seven assists. Hart also grabbed double-digit rebounds for the seventh time this season.