The defending champion Denver Nuggets are one of the best teams in the NBA. They have cruised throughout the 2023-24 regular season and once again look poised to challenge for a spot in the NBA Finals.
However, during the marathon regular season, even the greatest teams have a few hiccups along the way. For the Nuggets, one of those hiccups came on Thursday night when they faced the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
End-of-road trip games normally go one of two ways. A team plays spirited and catches their hosts off guard. Or, they get their doors blown off as they are ready to head back home for the first time in a long time.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Michael Malone, OG Anunoby, New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets Updates
On Thursday, it was the latter that occurred for the Nuggets. The Knicks dominated the, winning 122-84 in the most lopsided game of the season for Denver. No one was able to get anything going on offense outside of Nikola Jokic, who scored 31 points on 13-of-18 from the field, 2-of-3 from 3-point range and 3-for-3 on free throws.
The rest of his Nuggets teammates combined to shoot 21-of-66 from the field and 3-of-23 from 3-point range. The Knicks deserve a lot of credit for how hard they played in a measuring stick game as they look to cement their status among the elite teams in the NBA.
In his post-game presser, Nuggets head coach Michael Malone singled out Knicks’ forward OG Anunoby for his performance. Malone was complimentary of how well Anunoby played, as the Knicks faithful rained down chants of his name from the rafters.
“There’s a reason the crowd was chanting ‘OG.’ He was outstanding…He brings defense, offense, toughness, physicality. He & the rest of the guys in the New York Knick uniforms tonight were terrific from beginning to end…” Malone said after the game via New York Basketball on X.
Anunoby was stellar on both sides of the court. He led the Knicks with 26 points scored, the most he has scored with his new team since being acquired before the new year. His defensive prowess was on full display, as he recorded six steals in the game.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Michael Malone, OG Anunoby, New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets Updates
Not only was he a terror in the passing lanes, but Anunoby made life miserable for whoever he matched up against. His main assignment was Jamal Murray, who didn’t make a shot with Anunoby checking him, according to Tommy Beer on X.
A player as hot as Murray was coming into the game and being cooled off to that extent is exactly why the Knicks acquired Anunoby from the Toronto Raptors. He is one of the best defenders in the NBA, a true difference-maker on that side of the court. If he continues providing that kind of efficiency offensively, New York is going to be hard to beat.
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