New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby, right, drives to the basket against Denver Nuggets guard Reggie Jackson (7) in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024, at Madison Square Garden in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
After going down with a dislocated shoulder against Miami on Saturday, New York Knicks star forward Julius Randle is going to miss some time. While he was still able to contribute 19 points and nine rebounds in 32 minutes of action, the Knicks will now need to find a way to fill the production and impact Randle has brought throughout the season.
Before Randle dislocated his shoulder after an awkward fall on a layup, the Knicks had been one of the hottest teams in the NBA. OG Anunoby has fit into his role seamlessly and has added depth to the defense, which has elevated them as serious contenders in the East. With Randle going down, it is going to take more than one piece to step up.
Since acquiring Anunoby, Randle has been averaging nearly 25 points per game on 48% shooting from the field and 37% beyond the arc. The Knicks have the No. 1 defense in the NBA in terms of defensive rating and their 12-2 record is the best mark in the league over the last 14 games. Their offense has also gotten a significant boost too, now a top-ten unit in the NBA with a 117.9 rating.
The role players that have taken a step back for Randle will now need to fill much bigger shoes than before. This starts with Anunoby filling a more prominent role on the offensive end. Since coming to New York, Anunoby is averaging 15.6 points per game on 11.2 field goal attempts. Expect to see the volume for Anunoby increase greatly over the next few games.
Another role player who should look to be the beneficiary of this new-look offense is Quentin Grimes. Grimes has had to sacrifice his normal volume for most of the season given the structure of the Knicks offense and how much Randle demands the ball. Grimes averaged 8.5 field goal attempts per game…
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