Knicks Forward Steps Up in Absence of OG Anunoby

OG Anunoby suffered a left hamstring injury in the first five minutes of the New York Knicks’ game against the Miami Heat on November 14. Anunoby was ruled out and expected to miss a few weeks. The Knicks were now without their best perimeter defender and what many consider to be New York’s third-best player.

Fortunately for New York, they have another wing who can easily replace Anunoby in Mikal Bridges.

Defensive versatility

Bridges is a 6-foot-6 shooting guard who is also capable of playing the small forward position. It has a long frame and good stability to keep one to five. Normally, he guards the opposing team’s second-best player, while Anunoby’s assignment is usually the top scorer. But with Anunoby out, Bridges took on this mission of protecting the opposition’s top scorer and has done a very good job so far.

Bridges was able to easily guard multiple positions ranging from oversized wings to versatile stretch fours and sneaky guards. Bridges ranks in the top 15 in minutes per game, but is able to maintain the elite level of defense he provides throughout all four quarters of play. With his best point of attack defender and his best isolation defender, Bridges has handled this task impeccably.

Missions

Whether it was guarding Norman Powell of the Heat, LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges of the Charlotte Hornets, or Michael Porter Jr. of the Brooklyn Nets, Bridges held his own and proved he was the best defensive player on the court. Despite having the toughest defensive assignments every night, Bridges was still able to play a major role in the Knicks’ rapid-fire offense.

Since Anunoby went out injured, Bridges has been a two-way breakout, proving that he is one of the best two-way players in the league. Bridges averaged 17.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and four assists on 53% from the field and 34.4% from three.

Revealing defensive statistics

His three-point shooting consistency has declined slightly since Anunoby went down, and many would assume this is due to all the energy put into locking down the opposing team’s first option. On the defensive end, Bridges is putting up eye-opening numbers that certainly deserve more recognition.

Since November 14, Bridges is averaging 3.2 steals per game, while adding an impressive two blocks per game. Bridges has always been a good defender in the NBA, but his true defensive value has been on display in these last two games.

Some masterclass performances on the defensive side of the ball include a seven-steal performance against the Heat, in which Bridges added two blocks. Another amazing performance was a four-block performance in another game against the Heat. Bridges also notched a three-steal, two-block performance against the Charlotte Hornets and Dallas Mavericks. Since Anunoby’s injury, Bridges has had at least one block and steal in every game, with multiple of both in four of six games.

Potentially the best defensive duo?

Although Jalen Brunson is the anchor and leader of the team’s offense, Bridges has earned that honor on the defensive end. While the Knicks are taking a cautious approach with getting Anunoby back, Bridges’ performance has made it more clear that there is no need to rush Anunoby.

With Anunoby expected to be re-evaluated in December, it should be interesting to see if Bridges can maintain this defensive consistency. When the Knicks get Anunoby back, it’s safe to say that the Knicks have the best defensive duo in the league. This could be a start to feeling bad for the rest of the league when the time comes.

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