Return of the Mack: OG, Hart Lead Knicks to Blowout Victory

Anunoby raises the Knicks' floor from good to great. And raises New York's ceiling from great to "legit title contender."

Final Score: Knicks 106 - Sixers 79
Record: 38-27

Losses and disappointment piled up over the past six weeks with OG Anunoby sidelined following elbow surgery. Knicks fans kept the faith by reminding each other that this team looks completely different with OG in the lineup. 

Tuesday at the Garden, Anunoby returned to action, and that faith was rewarded for at least one night. 

With OG's long arms shutting down passing lanes and swishing three-pointers from the corners, New York squashed the Sixers, notching a much-needed victory before they embark on their final West Coast road trip of the season. 

While Anunoby's numbers aren't jaw-dropping (he finished the evening with 14 points on 11 FG attempts, four rebounds, two assists, one steal, and two 3-pointers), he made winning, impactful plays on both ends of the floor. Unsurprisingly, New York outscored Philadelphia by 28 points in the 29 minutes he was on the floor. 

"It felt great. It's been a while," Anunoby said. "Missed playing here, missed the fans, missed my teammates."

Tuesday's victory was the 15th game Anunoby has played in a Knicks uniform. New York is 13-2 in those contests. 

In the 18 games OG missed, the Knicks went 8-10.

The On/Off numbers since Anunoby's arrival are staggering. 

Since the trade with Toronto, the Knicks average:
124.8 points per 100 possessions with OG on the floor.
115.2 points per 100 possessions with OG on the bench.

Since the trade with Toronto, the Knicks have allowed:
99.0 points per 100 possessions with OG on the floor.
114.9 points per 100 possessions with OG on the bench.

Since the trade with Toronto, the Knicks have posted a Net Rating of:
+25.8 with OG on the floor.
-3.6 with OG on the bench.

Anunoby has logged 528 minutes over his first 15 games. In those 528 minutes, the Knicks have outscored their opponents by 280 points. (+280 is the highest plus/minus by any player in NBA history over his first 15 games with a new team. No other player has ever posted a plus/minus north of 200.)

In the 1,103 minutes that OG has NOT been on the floor (which includes the 18 games he missed), the Knicks have been outscored by 84 points. 

These numbers, when assessed in the aggregate, are simply stunning. He raises the team's floor from good to great. And raises the team ceiling from great to "legit title contender."