The New York Knicks are the hottest team in the NBA. They continued their New Year rampage against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night, running them out of Madison Square Garden with a 112-84 victory.
It was the Knicks’ fifth consecutive victory, their longest winning streak of the season. The streak coincides with the players from their blockbuster trade with the Toronto Raptors, headlined by OG Anunoby, being in the lineup.
The impact that Anunoby has had on the Knicks, despite openly admitting he doesn’t know what he is doing yet, has been profound. He has transformed the team on both sides of the ball, providing efficient shooting on offense and lockdown defense.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: OG Anunoby & New York Knicks Updates
Against the Trail Blazers, Anunoby’s impact was on full display. He scored 16 points in the first quarter, including four 3-pointers. At one point he scored 10 straight points for New York, which helped them open up a double-digit lead in the game.
Overall, Anunoby ended up scoring a team-high 23 points, going 9-of-12 from the field and 4-of-6 from 3-point range. He added four rebounds, one steal and one block for a solid all-around performance.
The most impressive stat from the game is his plus/minus ratio. Anunoby finished the game +26, which was actually the fourth highest on the team. Julius Randle and Isaiah Hartenstein led the way with +31, while Jalen Brunson was +29.
With that, Anunoby set an NBA and Knicks franchise record. According to Tommy Beer on X, formerly Twitter, Anunoby is now +111 through his first five games with the team. He is the first and only player in NBA history to have a plus/minus ratio over 100 in his first five games with a franchise.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: OG Anunoby & New York Knicks Updates
While some people questioned the trade originally for the Knicks, they have quickly been proven wrong. Anunoby has seamlessly fit into the team’s lineup as their starting small forward, producing on both ends of the court.
Keep in mind that this level of production is being accomplished without much practice time. Imagine what things will look like once chemistry and cohesion is developed between everyone on the team.
Want the latest NBA analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click Here. Follow NBA Analysis Network on Twitter and Facebook.
Interested in reading the latest storylines and analysis in the NFL? Check out our partner NFL Analysis Network.
