Gavin Schall here, the host of the daily Locked On Knicks podcast, with your daily Locked On Knicks newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Knicks and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
OG Anunoby And Jalen Brunson Dominate In Denver
iNov 25, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) controls the ball in the second half against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy/Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Knicks’ Stellar Performance: A Night to Remember Against the Nuggets
The New York Knicks delivered their performance of the season, dominating the Denver Nuggets in a game that showcased their potential on both ends of the court. This victory was marked by a franchise-record 45 assists, highlighting the team’s improved ball movement and chemistry. The Knicks’ defense also impressed with Karl-Anthony Towns putting together arguably his best effort of the season.
OG Anunoby’s Career Night
OG Anunoby was the star of the night, scoring a career-high 40 points on 16 of 23 shooting. His performance was a testament to his growth as a player, providing the Knicks with the offensive firepower they are currently lacking from Mikal Bridges. Over the last nine games, Anunoby has averaged 23 points, six rebounds, and a couple of assists, shooting an impressive 58% from the field, 46% from three-point range, and 85% from the free-throw line. He’s consistently creating in the mid-range late in the clock, banging wing threes like it’s nobodies business (hitting 43% of his non-corner threes, 11% better than last year 92nd percentile for all wings) and is the only non-big to be top 10 in the NBA in total dunks. Three level scorer with All-NBA Defense. Worth every penny.
Jalen Brunson’s Playmaking Mastery
Jalen Brunson also had a standout performance, setting a career-high with 17 assists.Brunson’s growth as a passer has been evident, as he now averages 7.9 assists per game a career high by over an assist per game. Zoom in to his last 10 games and the number 9.5 APG.
Brunson while certainly benefiting from some of the best spacing in the league has clearly made a passing leap consistently manipulating time and space in the pick and roll to ensure the easiest shot possible for his partner.
KAT was another key contributor, outplaying Nikola Jokic with 30 points, 15 rebounds, and four assists. Towns’ defensive effort was particularly noteworthy, as he played a significant role in limiting Jokic’s impact. The Knicks became the first team to simultaneously hold Jokic under 25 points and 10 assists in the same game this season.
The only turd in the golden nectar bowl was Mikal Bridges continued poor shooting and at times abysmal defense. He’s now just 8/34 from three over his last five games and has gone six games without a free throw. Something’s wrong and it’s Tom Thibodeau to get to the bottom of it.
For more insights and a deeper dive into the Knicks’ impressive win, tune into the Locked On Knicks podcast for this and much more.
Other Topics in Today’s Locked On Knicks Podcast:
- Jalen Brunson’s career-high 17 assists and his impact on the Knicks’ offense
- Karl Anthony Towns’ dominance over Nikola Jokic and his defensive contributions
- The Knicks’ franchise-record 45 assists and what it means for their team chemistry
- Analysis of the Knicks’ improved defensive performance against the Nuggets
Giannis Antetokounmpo improves on greatness, again
Giannis, Damian Lillard and Brook Lopez lead the way for the Bucks in 2024
Our modern relationship with the concept of greatness is a strange thing. Certainly in NBA basketball, but even more broadly, we like to hold greatness up to its lack. Less readily do we accept greatness at face value, or allow for greatness to simply stand on its own. It needs a backdrop of failure, and maybe because of that, it is failure we’ve become better at discussing. When greatness persists, or proves to have staying power, it feels almost dull. We want greatness to come with persistent conflict, and we want our greats to prove it, again and again.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is a prime modern example.
Over the weekend, Antetokounmpo made history. He became the NBA athlete to record the most 30-point games in a decade, beating out the obvious candidates of Steph Curry and LeBron James. That’s over 262 games with 30-plus-points. So far this season, he’s been averaging 32.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game, and shooting field goals at a 60.8% accurate clip. These numbers are staggering and yet, at a glance around discussion on the season, you’d think they were hum-drum.
Truth be told, conversation about the Bucks and Antetokounmpo seemed more engaged when both struggled early in the season. Those favourite, swirling questions of will-he-or-won’t-he be traded, or force a trade, rose with aplomb. A championship calibre team doing badly is always news, sure, but when its championship calibre superstar pushes through the struggles to virtually carry the team, we tend to turn our attention elsewhere.
Maybe it’s because the thing that’s given Antetokounmpo another gear this season — rediscovering the mid-range — is a part of the floor not as exciting as the three-point range teams like the Celtics are bombing from, but the bump has been drastic. Last season Antetokounmpo shot 35.1% from the mid-range and thus far this season he’s converting 47.8% of his mid-range attempts (of which he’s doubled, 2.4 to 4.3).
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Preview Emirates NBA Cup play continues this week — here’s what lies ahead for all teams. (NBA)
Roster Before the 2025 NBA Draft, get familiar with 10 international prospects. (ESPN)
Fans In a moment of light-hearted banter, a Knicks player quipped, “I would have had more if I didn’t pass him the ball.” (Posting and Toasting)
Analysis OG Anunoby’s all-round performance has been a silver lining for the Knicks, offering much to build upon. Dive into the analysis. (NY Post)
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Monday’s Fantasy Basketball Recap - Hamstrings Strike In Orlando
Nov 23, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony (50) shoots during the second half against the Detroit Pistons at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | Mike Watters/Mike Watters-Imagn Images
Monday’s NBA action brought a whirlwind of performances, injuries, and strategic moves that could significantly impact your fantasy basketball lineup. Here are the major takeaways from the day, focusing on what’s most relevant for fantasy managers.
Injury Updates and Player Returns
- Devin Vassell is expected back on Wednesday, which is great news for those who have been patient with his knee issues. Meanwhile, Jordan Clarkson is out for Utah, creating opportunities for players like Colin Sexton and Isaiah Collier to step up. Keep an eye on Johnny Juzang as a potential deep-league add.
- Gary Harris suffered a hamstring injury, which could open up more minutes for Cole Anthony and Anthony Black. With Jalen Suggs also dealing with a hamstring issue, these players could see increased roles.
Waiver Wire Trends
- Moussa Diabate has become a hot commodity following Grant Williams’ injury. While Diabate’s scoring is limited, his defensive stats make him a valuable short-term add.
- Malcolm Brogdon is worth considering for streaming, though his long-term value remains uncertain. Similarly, Ty Jerome had a standout performance, but his shooting percentages are unlikely to be sustainable.
- Naji Marshall and T.J. McConnell are sensible additions given the current absences in their respective teams. McConnell, in particular, could provide solid assists and steals with several key players out.
OG Anunoby Drops 40 And The Knicks Decimate The Denver Nuggets
The New York Knicks delivered a performance for the ages, dominating the Denver Nuggets in a game that showcased their potential on both ends of the court. This victory was marked by a franchise-record 45 assists, highlighting the team’s improved ball movement and chemistry. The Knicks’ defense was equally impressive, holding the Nuggets to 118 points and demonstrating a significant leap in their defensive efforts.
Heads or Thibs: Making the Case For (And Against!) The Rookies Getting More Playing Time
Alex and Gavin play a new game: Heads or Thibs! At the flip of a coin, one of Alex or Gavin is forced to become Tom Thibodeau, and explain why Pacome Dadiet, Ariel Hukporti, and Jericho Sims shouldn’t be getting minutes, while the other makes a case for their rookie to get more minutes.
Jalen Brunson And Karl-Anthony Towns Help The Knicks Torch The Phoenix Suns
Jalen Brunson loves to play in Phoenix and he made sure the rest of his Knicks teammates had fun as well. A year after dropping 50 in the Valley Of The Sun, Brunson had a little more help this time around combining with Karl-Anthony Towns for 70 points as the Knicks rode a red hot 1st quarter to a 138-122 win. Alex Wolfe and Gavin Schall break down the scalding start, Brunson’s shooting and passing leap, Josh Hart shooting with confidence, KAT breaking down opposing bigs, Mikal finding some confidence, the Knicks struggles to rotate on defense and some updates and insights from Tom Thibodeau.
