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Boston Celtics' Offensive Shutdown by OG Anunoby Illustrated by Statistics

Defensive star OG Anunoby, acquired by the Knicks in December 2023, has restricted the Celtics' scoring, but more notably, has discouraged them from even attempting shots during matchups.

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New York Knicks' defensive anchor, OG Anunoby, acquired in late 2023, has not only thwarted Boston...
New York Knicks' defensive anchor, OG Anunoby, acquired in late 2023, has not only thwarted Boston Celtics' scoring attempts but has also managing to discourage them from shooting when confronted directly.

Boston Celtics' Offensive Shutdown by OG Anunoby Illustrated by Statistics

In the heat of the playoffs, numbers are pouring in at an incredible pace. One player in particular, OG Anunoby, has become the Knicks' stalwart on defense since his acquisition back in December.

Anunoby, the Knicks' defensive linchpin, hasn't just blocked scoring attempts by the Celtics. He's managed to deter them from taking shots completely when matched up with him. The star Boston player, Jayson Tatum, managed a dismal 1-for-7 shooting performance across nearly 17 minutes when facing Anunoby during the Eastern Conference semifinal series' first two games. Notably, Tatum attempted just a single shot in Game 2 with Anunoby guarding him, according to the NBA's tracking data.

The rest of the Celtics fared little better, finishing 6-for-27 with Anunoby as their primary defender. The team's second leading scorer, Jaylen Brown, performed only marginally better than Tatum with a success rate of 2-for-7.

Anunoby's defensive rep followed him from the Raptors to the Knicks, where he's been seen as the potential missing piece in their defense. After a hamstring injury limited him to parts of three games against the Pacers in the second round last year, Anunoby has solidified the Knicks' defense, helping them take an impressive 2-0 lead going into Game 3.

"It's not easy," said Jalen Brunson after a practice session in Tarrytown. "Those are great players over there, and so we have to be able to help him. He's been doing a phenomenal job, and as teammates, we have to help him."

In the final days of the regular season last month, Anunoby boldly declared that he should win Defensive Player of the Year. He registered the best defensive rating among Knicks starters during the regular season (112.3), and in the playoffs, his defensive performance was exemplary.

Tatum has performed poorly in the series, shooting just 28.6 percent and scoring only 36 points. Admitting a need for improvement, Tatum stated that he needed "to be better."

Mikal Bridges received plenty of attention for his game-changing plays, such as stealing the ball from Brown on the final possession of overtime in Game 1 and blocking Tatum's shot to end Game 2. However, Anunoby's persistent defensive efforts have forced the Celtics to seek out alternate shooting opportunities, with him being close by during the crucial end-of-game sequence in Game 2.

Anunoby has been the primary defender in a matchup with Tatum for nearly seven more minutes than any other Knick, according to the NBA tracking stats. Surprisingly, the Knicks weren't taken aback by Anunoby's defensive performance, as they'd always known what he was capable of.

As Anunoby has continued to demonstrate his defensive skills on the biggest stage of his Knicks career against the defending champions, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau noted, "I think when you put that with Mikal and Josh [Hart], that wing versatility is huge. To add in what [Mitchell Robinson] has brought to that and also Karl [Anthony-Towns]'s defense, I think it vastly improved."

  1. https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/35615686/the-imitators-machine-ok-og-anunoby-inspired-defensive-revolution
  2. https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/35623850/og-anunoby-dominated-boston-celtics-series-making-early-case-defensive-player-year
  3. https://www.statsbomb.com/teams/defensive-ratings-2025-playoffs
  4. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/oladipo-oklahoma-city-thunder-knocked-court-after-hard-foul-by-n1257976
  5. https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2025_team_box_scores.html#team=~OUT~BOS&match=playoffs&sit=merge
  6. In the Eastern Conference semifinal series, OG Anunoby has been a formidable presence on defense for the Knicks, holding Jayson Tatum to a dismal 1-for-7 shooting performance in nearly 17 minutes during the first two games.
  7. The Knicks have relied heavily on Anunoby's defensive skills, with him being the primary defender in a matchup with Tatum for nearly seven more minutes than any other Knick, according to NBA tracking stats.
  8. Anunoby's defensive performance has not only disrupted Tatum's scoring attempts but also deterred the Celtics as a whole, as they finished 6-for-27 with Anunoby as their primary defender.
  9. Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau has praised Anunoby's contribution to the team's defense, stating that his and Mikal Bridges' wing versatility, paired with Josh Hart, Mitchell Robinson, and Karl-Anthony Towns, has vastly improved the Knicks' defense.

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