Knicks May Have Turned Themselves Into a Contender With One Big Move

Fans of the New York Knicks aren't used to feeling good about their team, but if this year's squad feels a little different, there are plenty of numbers to back that up.

In the month of January, the Knicks—who host LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers at Madison Square Garden on Saturday—put together an impressive 14-2 stretch that rocketed them from slightly above .500 (17-15) to 31-17, good for third in the Eastern Conference. They now find themselves at 32-17, breathing down the necks of the Milwaukee Bucks who dropped a tough loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday.

The biggest difference between January and December? On December 30, the Knicks dealt former No. 3 pick RJ Barrett and guard Immanuel Quickley to the Toronto Raptors as part of a package that brought forward OG Anunoby to New York.

The acquisition of Anunoby appears to have transformed the Knicks. This week, ESPN's Kendrick Perkins even had the Knicks fourth in his list of championship contenders. One of the reasons? "OG Anunoby, the great addition at the wing position."

At the time, the trade was not universally well received. The loss of Quickley hurt the Knicks bench, and while Anunoby was a clear upgrade over Barrett, the combination of Barrett and Quickley made some wonder whether the Knicks gave up too much.

A month later, those takes look icy cold. In January, the Knicks had a net rating (which measures a team's offense and defense per 100 possessions) of 15.8, which was the best in the NBA over that stretch. In just under 1,000 possessions with Anunoby on the floor, the Knicks have outscored opponents by a staggering 25.3 points per 100 possessions, according to stats site Cleaning the Glass.

The biggest difference for the Knicks has been their defense. The Knicks' defense allows 21.1 points per 100 possessions fewer with Anunoby on the floor than they do when he's on the bench.

Brunson had little explanation for Anunoby's defensive prowess.

"I don't know. The dude's just a freak of nature," Brunson told reporters shortly after Anunoby arrived. "I'm watching the same thing you guys are watching. Just like, 'Oh, wow! Mmm. OK.'"

Those kind of numbers aren't likely to sustain for the rest of the year into the postseason—for reference, the Boston Celtics have the best record in the NBA at 37-12 and the best net rating for the year at 9.1.

But Anunoby offers the Knicks another crucial element when the postseason rolls around: A versatile defender who can credibly guard opposing superstars 1-on-1. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are natural matchups for Anunoby if the Knicks draw the Celtics in the second round of the playoffs. Anunoby is long and quick enough to be a primary defender against Damian Lillard, and strong enough to try to counteract Giannis Antetokounmpo if the Knicks face the Bucks.

Brunson and fellow All-Star, Knicks forward Julius Randle, meanwhile, are posting big offensive numbers.

Brunson is averaging 27.1 points and 6.4 assists per game, and he had at least 30 points nine times in January and had 40 or more five times since the start of the season, including one 50-point performance in a win against the Phoenix Suns in mid-December. He scored 21 in just 27 minutes of action last week when the Knicks annihilated the defending champion Denver Nuggets by 38 points. Randle was scoring 24 points per game before he dislocated his shoulder against the Miami Heat on Saturday.

The Knicks likely wouldn't be favored if they faced Boston in a playoff series. But their potential to be good on both sides of the ball—bolstered enormously by their keen-eyed foresight in acquiring Anunoby—could make them a real threat to the Eastern Conference elite.