The New York Knicks are on top of the world after winning the 2026 NBA Finals. While the team didn’t exactly enter the postseason as the favorite to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy, the Knicks got hot at the perfect time, and that led to a nearly flawless 16-3 run through the playoffs.
New York received contributions from up and down its roster, and while Jalen Brunson was the leader of this group, you can make an argument that OG Anunoby actually delivered some of the biggest moments for this group during its run to a title. That’s certainly the way Karl-Anthony Towns sees it, as he recently offered some high praise when speaking about Anunoby on “On Purpose with Jay Shetty.”
Karl-Anthony Towns Dishes on OG Anunoby’s Playoff Performance
Anunoby was picked up during the 2023-24 campaign by the Knicks in a trade with the Toronto Raptors, giving the team a versatile two-way wing who can fill several different roles for his team. Beyond that, Anunoby also featured the sort of championship experience New York was looking to add to its team, as he previously helped the Raptors win the 2019 NBA Finals.
Sure enough, that experience came in handy throughout the Knicks’ championship run, as Anunoby was dominant throughout the postseason (20.1 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 1.6 APG, 56.1 FG%). He had a handful of big moments, too, none of which were more important than his game-winning putback dunk in Game 4 of the Finals against the San Antonio Spurs.
That single play from Anunoby changed the entire outlook of the series for New York, as it went from staring at a 2-2 tie to taking a 3-1 lead in the blink of an eye. While Towns believes he would have gotten a putback dunk if Anunoby hadn’t gotten to the ball on his legendary play, he credited his teammate for always delivering the goods when the Knicks need him the most.
“I’ll never forget OG tipping the ball back in,” Towns admitted. “If you watch the game, he tipped it in; I was ready to dunk it … OG, he’s just special; he’s always been special. I just tell him, even when a game’s not going his way, OG Anunoby always in the fourth quarter finds a way to make his presence known, and he did exactly that.”
Knicks Hoping to Repeat as Champions in 2027
GettyNEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 10: OG Anunoby #8 of the New York Knicks celebrates after scoring the go-ahead basket against the San Antonio Spurs in the final seconds with Karl-Anthony Towns #32 and Jordan Clarkson #00 during the fourth quarter in Game Four of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on June 10, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
The Knicks very well may have won this series even without Anunoby’s heroics in Game 4, but his big putback layup allowed New York to put things to rest in Game 5. Towns and the rest of the team are very well aware of just how important this single play was, not just because it led to a crucial victory, but because of the impact it had on the final game of the series.
Towns, Anunoby, and the rest of the Knicks are enjoying the celebrations that come with winning a championship, but it won’t be long before this team is back in action attempting to defend their title in the 2026-27 campaign. New York is largely running it back with its same crew from last year, but it is going to have a big target on its back after it thoroughly dominated the rest of the league on its way to victory in the Finals.
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