Knicks' OG Anunoby impresses by 'playing right way'
New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby against Philadelphia 76ers guard Kelly Oubre Jr. in a preseason game in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates on Oct. 4, 2025. Credit: AP/Altaf Qadri
YAS ISLAND, Abu Dhabi — The Knicks enjoyed the foreign land, the experiences and the hospitality of the Abu Dhabi Games. But in the end, what they were most concerned with was the on-court product, setting a foundation and, even in preseason, finding a pair of wins to board the long flight home after a 112-104 win over the Philadelphia 76ers at Etihad Arena.
Most importantly, the Knicks were closer to whole with OG Anunoby returning to the lineup and making his preseason debut after sitting out with a sprained left hand Thursday. He scored 13 points, shooting 4-for-7 overall and 3-for-5 from beyond the arc, in 17 minutes. And with what seems likely to be the regular-season starting five, the Knicks built a double-digit lead before letting the starters sit out the second half.
Anunoby started the game with a foul and a missed three-pointer, then saw 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe soar over him for a powerful dunk. But he rushed up the other way, hit a mid-range jumper and quickly found a groove.
“Just playing the right way, you know,” Anunoby said. “The ball comes, be ready to shoot, and if it’s not there, be ready to pass it. Just playing the right way, which is pretty easy.
“I think me personally, I mean, that’s what the preseason is for, to prepare and get ready. Training camp, go through stuff, learn a new system. We have a new coach, so every day we’re learning and building and each day it’s getting better and better. So I feel like it’s getting better each day. I feel ready, and when the season starts, I think we’ll all be ready to go.”
“We could all play better,” coach Mike Brown said. “But OG was great tonight. He ran the floor a couple times and got to the corner. And when you get to the corner like that, when you’re trying to push the basketball, it puts pressure on the opponent’s defense. You’re going to get some easy catch-and-shoot shots.”
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 14 points in 17 minutes and seemed more at ease in the new system, finding himself slipping behind the defense for layups.
“Yeah, I mean pace doesn’t necessarily mean fast,” he said. “Obviously, we want to get the ball across half court in a certain time frame. But it’s about playing smart, seeing what the defense does and just reading that. We weren’t really trying to leak out, but we were trying to sprint to corners and we were getting behind the defense and we were able to get layups. So as long as we come away with a stop, that allows us to run.
“I’m comfortable. We’re still adjusting. That’s the process of this entire season. You’re not just going to be who you are in training camp. You’re going to continue to get better throughout the season. I think the longer we’re going through this and understanding what is needed of us and asked of us, the better we’re going to be.”
Notes & quotes: Josh Hart sat out with what the team called lower back spasms after suffering the injury in Thursday’s first game here. A team spokesman said he was receiving treatment, that the team was erring on the side of caution and that he will be reassessed when the team gets back to New York.
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
