While Mikal Bridges is drawing the loudest criticism for his rough start, OG Anunoby has quietly slipped into a slump of his own for the Knicks.
The early numbers on New York’s top 3-and-D weapon are ugly. Anunoby is hitting just 29.3 percent from deep, and opponents are converting 46.4 percent of their shots against him. Among the Knicks’ regular rotation players, he also owns the team’s worst defensive rating at 110.5.
The problems don’t stop at the perimeter. Anunoby is making only 56.0 percent of his attempts at the rim, has connected on just one shot between the restricted area and the three-point line, and is tied for the fifth-most personal fouls in the league with 35.
His on-court impact has taken a hit as well. With Anunoby on the floor, the Knicks sit in the 44 percentile in points per 100 possessions at 112.5, the 34 percentile in opponent effective field goal percentage at 54.8, and the 16 percentile in New York’s own effective field goal percentage at 50.0. His net rating is minus-1.0, which fits the picture of a player stuck in an ugly championship hangover.
Even with the rough stretch, Anunoby hasn’t backed off his attack-minded approach. If anything, he’s been more aggressive early in the season, and that has shown up at the foul line.
Through nine games, he has attempted eight or more free throws five times. That matches the total number of such games he had across all of 2025-26.
Free throws have never been a major part of his game over his 10 years in the league, where he has averaged just 2.1 attempts a night for his career. This season, though, he’s getting there at a career-best 6.2 per game, and his 87.5 percent shooting from the stripe has accounted for 33.1 percent of his total points so far.
In Other News...
Knicks' Bruce Brown Decision Suddenly Looks Relevant Again
The Thunders roster shuffle has put Bruce Brown back into the conversation in a way that matters for the Knicks, even if only indirectly. Oklahoma City waived forward Dalen Terry to make room for Nique Clifford after a trade with the Kings, and the move comes with the team reportedly weighing a veteran addition to help stabilize the group after the possible season-ending injuries to Jalen Williams and Cason Wallace.
Brown is still a free agent after not landing a roster spot with New York, and his market now looks tied to a team that suddenly has a clearer need for experienced depth. For the Knicks, it is another reminder that their decision on Brown was never just about the present roster, because a player who didnt stick in training camp can still end up relevant once the leagues injury and depth realities start to bite. [Read more 🡒]
Tyler Koleks Taylor Swift Take Just Took A Funny Turn
Tyler Kolek has already learned that when you take a shot at Taylor Swifts Knicks fandom, the internet tends to keep score. After initially brushing off her connection to the team as performative, the rookie guard found himself in a much different spotlight after a Knicks win, when he was caught in the locker room singing Blank Space and giving the whole thing a very different vibe.
Jordan Clarkson posted the video and labeled Kolek a Swiftie, turning a lighthearted team moment into a small social-media detour. The Knicks also stepped in with a statement backing Swifts long-standing support of the franchise, a reminder that this was never really just about one players opinion, but about a pop-culture crossover that suddenly had the teams attention. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Suddenly Have A Josh Hart Lineup Question They Can't Ignore
Landry Shamets recent run in the starting lineup has given the Knicks something they have not had much of lately: cleaner spacing and a more reliable perimeter threat. With Josh Hart sidelined, Shamet has helped fuel strong offensive performances in wins over the Bulls and Cavaliers, and his off-ball movement has opened up the floor in ways that show up in the teams offensive rating.
Josh Hart still brings plenty of value, but his shooting efficiency has dipped even as his all-around impact remains important to what the Knicks do. The question now is less about whether Hart matters and more about how the Knicks balance his versatility against the offensive lift Shamet has provided, a lineup decision that suddenly feels a lot more complicated than it did a week ago. [Read more 🡒]