SAN ANTONIO — OG Anunoby is the only player on the Knicks with a championship ring.
Now, he is three wins away from earning one.
Anunoby — who was sidelined by injury during the Raptors’ 2019 title run — didn’t make much more of an impact for most of Game 1 of the NBA Finals, but the soft-spoken wing made sure he was heard down the stretch Wednesday night, scoring 12 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter of the Knicks’ 105-95 win over the Spurs at Frost Bank Center.
“The first time [in the NBA Finals] was really cool, but it wasn’t the way I would have wanted it.” Anunoby said. “So this time, just happy to be here, happy to be healthy.
“I’m just thankful to be out there, thankful to be playing. Just enjoying the moment.”
Anunoby entered the NBA Finals as one of the biggest reasons for the Knicks’ incredible postseason run, ranking second on the team in scoring (19.7), third in rebounds (6.9), second in steals (1.6) and second in blocks (1.0) despite missing two games with a hamstring injury.
But Anunoby was often invisible at the start of the championship series, scoring five points (2-for-6 from the field) in the first half. He started the second half more aggressively, but forced the action, getting stripped on one possession, then throwing up a midrange airball with Victor Wembanyama in sight, finishing the third quarter scoreless in nearly six minutes of action.
After the Knicks fought back from a 14-point second-half deficit — the Spurs had won their previous nine postseason games when leading at halftime — Anunoby began to resemble one of the league’s most impactful wings, putting the Knicks ahead by three with a drive to the rim, then following with back-to-back 3-pointers to put the Knicks up 86-81 with 8:50 remaining.
“My teammates were finding me and I was being aggressive and ready to shoot,” said Anunoby, who also had three rebounds, one steal and one block in 31 minutes. “Just shoot with confidence.”
Anunoby then iced the game with four free throws in the final minute as the Knicks closed Game 1 on an 11-0 run, taking a series lead in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1994 while tying the 1998-99 Spurs for the second-longest postseason win streak (12) in NBA history.
“OG got it going in the second half,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said. “He was huge for us in the second half.”