PHILADELPHIA — It’s time to revisit a few facts now that the Knicks have won three in a row after the OG Anunoby trade, including two victories over legitimate championship contenders in each conference.
- Anunoby completely transforms this team’s defensive potential and has been worth every bit the ticket price — even if his acquisition came at the expense of Immanuel Quickley
- Isaiah Hartenstein is a starting caliber center who has been parading about as a backup, though it’s still shaky waters if he gets in foul trouble or goes to the bench
- And maybe the Knicks don’t need a superstar after all. Maybe they just need good health and a little bit of luck. Maybe they just need another piece that complements an increasingly complete roster
The Knicks’ 128-92 handling of the No. 3-seeded Philadelphia 76ers in front of a sellout Wells Fargo Center crowd certainly wasn’t lucky — though there needs to be a larger sample size of Miles “Deuce” McBride’s offensive output before the Knicks depth concerns are put to rest.
Deuce moved more like a walking trey on Friday.
He scored 12 of his 15 points in the first quarter and shot four-of-four from downtown in the opening period before missing a contested look in the fourth quarter. McBride also made a heady play in the fourth, regaining possession for the Knicks by swatting an inbound attempt off the inbounder, Patrick Beverley.
His play was the catalyst for a team that didn’t appear to have an answer for playing Jalen Brunson heavy minutes. After going minus-10 and minus-15 in his first two games after the Quickley deal, the Knicks outscored the 76ers by 20 points in McBride’s 15 minutes on the floor.
And after playing 41 and 38 minutes in the two games entering Friday’s date in Philly, Brunson logged just 32 before Tom Thibodeau pulled him when the lead ballooned to more than 30 with about four minutes to go in the fourth quarter.
Shortly after, Thibodeau subbed out Hartenstein and Anunoby. The Knicks led by as many as 39 points on Friday night.
Brunson finished with 29 points on 11-of-20 shooting from the field and four-of-nine shooting from downtown. Pure buckets on a night with only two assists. The Knicks got close to nothing in a scoring standpoint from Julius Randle, who shot 1-of-11 from the field for eight points, seven rebounds and five assists and watched the entire fourth quarter from the bench. Randle should have fresh legs against a Wizards team with the East’s second-worst record and one of the league’s worst defenses.
“Julius didn’t make shots but he played well and that’s the important thing — to do other things that help the team,” Thibodeau said postgame.
Meanwhile, Hartenstein proved a capable matchup for reigning league Most Valuable Player of the Year Joel Embiid, who finished with 30 points and 10 rebounds but shot 10-of-23 from the field and turned the ball over six times compliments of the Knicks’ swarming defense. Likely first-time All-Star Tyrese Maxey managed 27 points and nine assists, but Kelly Oubre Jr. was the only other Sixers player scored in double figures.
The Knicks (20-15) remain perfect in the Anunoby era despite his modest 3-of-11 scoring night in Philly.
Anunoby is not an all-world scorer. He is not a superstar, but he was the perfect acquisition — “the perfect piece that complements our team,” as Randle said.
