Dishing + Defense + Depth = Domination in Denver
These are the types of victories that allow Knicks fans to dream the kind of dreams that end in ticker-tape parades…
Final Score: Knicks 142 - Nuggets 103
Record: 41-23
Denver is one of the toughest places to play in the NBA. Between the altitude and the all-time great big man manning the middle, the Nuggets are dominant at home.
However, when the Knicks are playing as well on both ends of the floor as they did Friday, it doesn’t matter who they are facing or where the game is played. The opponent and the venue are almost irrelevant.
At their peak, this New York team can overwhelm anyone. Just ask those who witnessed the domination in Denver.
One unmistakable sign the Knicks are firing on all cylinders: OG Anunoby delivering his A-Game, as he often does in Denver. The 3-and-D Demon took control last night, filling the stat sheet with 34 points (11-of-17 FGs, 6-of-6 FTs), seven rebounds, five assists, four steals, one block, and six three-pointers. In doing so, he became the NBA’s first player this season to record 30+ points, 5+ rebounds, 5+ threes, 5+ assists, and 4+ steals in one game.
The best compliment you can give OG is that on a night when Nikola Jokic, the best player on the planet, was awesome, pouring in 38 points on 21 FG attempts, he was the second-best player on the court.
Anunoby is notorious for running hot or cold for extended stretches, and right now he’s in the middle of a heater. Over NY’s past five contests, OG is averaging 20 PPG and 3.8 made triples while shooting 57.4% from the floor, 50% from downtown and 85.7% from the stripe.
When he is this locked in on both ends, the Knicks are nearly unbeatable.
OG certainly wasn’t the only ‘Bocker bringing it Friday night. Karl-Anthony Towns continues to make winning plays all over the court. racking up 17 points (7-of-12 FGs, 2-of-3 FTs), to go along with 13 rebounds, two assists, one steal and one three-pointer in the win.
Much has been made about Towns’ diminished role in the offense, but he has been incredibly efficient of late. Over NY’s past ten games, KAT is averaging 19.3 points and 11.6 rebounds while shooting 61% from the floor, 50% from behind the arc and 85% from the free-throw line. (Dating back to the end of January, there are only three players with a plus/minus north of +200: Victor Wembanyama, Derrick White and KAT.)
There were plenty of other individual standouts from Friday, which we’ll cover below (three reserves scored in double digits), but this was a true team win.
The Knicks dished out a season-high 44 assists on Friday, one shy of the all-time franchise record. (They are now 18-2 this season when they hand out at least 30 helpers.) New York also dominated the glass, out-rebounding the Nuggets 50-31.
Denver has been the league’s best offensive team this season. They came into Friday’s showdown as the only club in the NBA averaging more than 120 points per 100 possessions. Yet, New York limited them to just 103.
As we noted repeatedly these past six weeks, the Knicks’ defense, dating back to mid-January, has been remarkably solid and consistent. Over their last 21 games, New York leads the NBA in DefRtg by a wide margin, allowing just 103.1 points per 100 possessions. The Spurs, who rank second, are at 106.9.
This is no longer a small sample size that can be easily dismissed. The data covers more than a quarter of the 2025-26 season. This Knicks D is legit.
Which brings us back to Friday’s flogging. That was not just any win. It was a brutal beatdown of a quality opponent in their building.
In fact, it tied the Nuggets’ franchise record for its most lopsided home defeat. The only other team to beat Denver in Denver by at least 39 points was Michael Jordan’s “Last Dance” Chicago Bulls squad during their epic 1998 championship season.
These are the types of victories that allow Knicks fans to dream the kind of dreams that end in tickertape parades…
Other Takeaways and Knicks Notes:
🏀 It speaks volumes about the Knicks’ depth and balance that they were able to blow out the Nuggets on a night that Jalen Brunson scored just nine points on 3-of-13 shooting.
To his credit, the Captain made sure the offense was humming even if his shot was dropping by dishing out 15 assists. It was his second straight game with exactly 15 dimes. He is the first Knick with 15+ assists in consecutive contests since Mark Jackson in February of 1989.
“He’s taking what the defense is giving him,” said coach Brown. “They’re trying to throw the kitchen sink at him, and he’s getting off of it. He believes in his teammates.”
Brunson is averaging 13.3 assists vs. just 1.7 turnovers over NY’s past three games. He is the only player in the NBA this season to tally 50+ points, 30+ assists and 5 or fewer turnovers over a three-game span.
