OG Anunoby’s bothersome ankle seems just fine.
The Knicks’ star wing injured the ankle in the second-to-last game of the regular season and sat out the finale. It didn’t slow him down in the Knicks playoff opener.
This was classic Anunoby, making an impact at both ends of the floor, as the Knicks topped the Hawks 113-102 at the Garden on Saturday night in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.
Anunoby scored 19 points, added eight rebounds and helped shut down Atlanta after halftime as the Knicks broke open a close game with a dominant second half.
The Hawks managed just 47 points over the final two quarters and were outscored by nine.
Anunoby enjoyed a solid second season as a Knick, averaging 16.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists, and shooting 38.6 percent from 3-point range. He appeared in 67 games.
This time of year, however, is what’s most important. Keeping him healthy is essential for the Knicks if they want to return to the Eastern Conference final.
He’s one of their best all-around players, a critical cog on the defensive end. They went 45-22 during the regular season this year with him on the floor.
On Saturday, he was efficient, shooting 6-for-9 from the field and hitting two 3-pointers, while playing his usual lockdown defense.
With Anunoby on the floor, the Knicks outscored the Hawks by nine. The only Knick with a better rating was Miles McBride with a plus-12 in 21 minutes.
It was a very good start for the Knicks, who, aside from some brief slippage late in the fourth quarter, had their way with the Hawks in the series opener. Anunoby was a big part of that, as a scoring complement to Jalen Brunson and defensive linchpin.
At one point, the Hawks were 9-for-18 from 3-point range, but finished 14-for-37. They went cold, and Anunoby played a large role in that.
