The Knicks earned a lengthy break between the second round of the NBA playoffs and the start of the Eastern Conference finals by demolishing the 76ers on their home floor.
No player on the team needed the rest more than OG Anunoby. The Knicks’ defensive stalwart suffered what the team called a minor right hamstring strain in Game 2 of the Conference semifinals, causing him to miss the final two games of the series.
Concern around his status was immense in the immediate aftermath, and it will linger until he sees the floor again, but all signs point to Anunoby returning for the next series.
According to the Cleveland Clinic’s page on hamstring injuries, a Grade 1 hamstring strain takes less than a week to heal and Anunoby was seen shooting after practice Wednesday afternoon.
The Knicks will need him on the floor as much as possible if they hope to make their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999.
Either the Pistons or the Cavaliers will match up with the Knicks in the Conference finals and both teams present a unique challenge for the Knicks. While the ‘Bockers were able to withstand Anunoby’s absence against the Sixers, advancing to the championship round without Anunoby would prove difficult if not improbable.
The obvious reason is his defensive versatility. Anunoby can guard any position — from guards, to wings to bigs — and make life difficult for his opponent, while helping prevent teams from taking advantage of the Knicks’ weak points on defense.
He has 24 combined steals and blocks, 11th-most in the NBA playoffs and all but one of the players ahead of him have more games under their belts this postseason.
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Defense is what most have come to expect from Anunoby night after night, but his offensive surge has been remarkable to watch.
He is shooting the cover off the ball from beyond the arc at 53.8 percent on 3-pointers and is shooting 72.7 percent in the restricted area. Anunoby’s 75.5 True Shooting Percentage ranks second in the playoffs behind Isaiah Hartenstein whose shots have all been inside 16 feet.
Anunoby has arguably been the biggest beneficiary of Towns’ new role as the fulcrum of the Knicks’ offense. Towns assisted on 13 of Anunoby’s baskets in his eight games played, which is tied for second-most on the team.
As amazing as the numbers look, his impact just jumps off the screen. It seemed like Anunoby was everywhere on the court at the same time in certain instances, and when he wasn’t on the floor for Game 2 against the Sixers, it stood out like a sore thumb.
That’s why I like his 30/1 odds to win Eastern Conference finals MVP. The case for Jalen Brunson, currently the odds-on favorite (-125), is easy as the team captain and lead scorer. But he’s also the team’s biggest defensive liability.
If Karl-Anthony Towns (11/1) continues to play like the Nikola Jokic of the East, he also will draw plenty of attention. But he needs to stay out of foul trouble and that has been tough for him no matter the opponent.
Neither Brunson nor Towns is as valuable on both sides of the ball as Anunoby has proven to be so far this postseason and the two most recent winners, Pascal Siakam and Jaylen Brown, took home the hardware despite not being the best player on the team.
Yes, the injury concerns are there, but if Anunoby is playing at the level he showed through two rounds, and the Knicks win, it would be difficult to mount a case against him.
The Pick: OG Anunoby ECF MVP (30/1, DraftKings)
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Malik Smith has been immersed in the sports betting industry since 2017. He’s a data nerd with a particular focus on the NBA and combat sports. He spends his weeknights in the winter looking for edges on plus-money NBA player props.
