2 and Oh…
The gritty Knicks grind out another win, but all of New York is holding its breath awaiting an update on OG.
Final Score: Knicks 108 - Sixers 102
Series Record: 2-0
Forgive Knicks fans if they felt a little disoriented Wednesday night. They’ve grown accustomed to stress-free second halves and 30-point demolitions. So an actual close game felt rude, frankly.
Instead of another laugher at MSG, Game 2 turned into a heavyweight fight.
Yet, once again, the Knicks found a way to land the knockout blows.
The Sixers, playing with Joel Embiid (who was sidelined by ankle/hip issues), hung tough all evening. Tyrese Maxey was on fire in the first half and finished with 26 points. Philly also got solid contributions from Paul George (19 points), Kelly Oubre Jr. (19) and VJ Edgecombe (17).
They held a three-point lead with less than seven minutes in regulation, before Josh Hart buried a three-pointer to tie the score 99. It was the 14th tie of the game. Then, in crunch time, Captain Clutch grabbed the wheel, the Knicks’ defense slammed the door, and a visibly exhausted Philly team simply ran out of gas.
However, the closing sequence also featured a terrifying sight: OG Anunoby limping off the court.
Thus, while Knicks fans would love to focus on the victory that gave New York a commanding 2-0 lead, they will not be able to exhale until they get an update on Anunoby.
As you can see from this clip, OG appeared to grab at the back of his right leg on a cut with 3:00 minutes remaining in the fourth. He does attempt to dunk and stays involved in the play for the rest of the possessions, but then immediately motions to the bench that he needs to come out.
After New York called a timeout, Anunoby went to the locker room and has not been seen or heard from since.
Mike Brown didn’t provide an update after the game, telling the media he had not spoken with the Knicks’ medical staff.
You don’t need me to tell you how important OG is to this team’s success and how disruptive an extended absence would be. A strong argument could be made, given his dominant defense and historically efficient offense, that OG has been the Knicks’ MVP through the first 8 games of this postseason.
But until the Knicks release more information, speculation is pointless. All anyone can do is nervously refresh Twitter and hope for good news.
Still, New Yorkers can take some comfort in knowing this Knicks team has a knack for finding ways to win.
We knew their hot shooting would cool off at some point, and, sure enough, they shot 7-of-26 from behind the arc (27%) in Game 2. Heading into last night, New York had lost 20 of their previous 23 playoff games in which they made fewer than eight three-pointers.
However, the Knicks discovered alternative ways to put up points Wednesday night. They attacked the rim relentlessly, scoring a whopping 56 points in the paint (26 more than the Sixers). New York also nearly doubled Philly in fast-break points (15 to 8) and committed five fewer turnovers.
As we’ve seen throughout the postseason, this balanced offensive attack can score in a variety of ways. They can bury you from midrange. They can run you into the ground in transition. They can bully you inside.
And when needed, they can simply squeeze the life out of you on the defensive end. Over their last five outings, the Knicks have allowed less than 97 points per game. It’s the fewest points they’ve allowed in any five-game postseason stretch this decade.
In addition, the Knicks’ active five-game win streak is tied for the second-longest in franchise history, trailing only the 1999 team that made a run to the Finals.
