OG Anunoby Welcomes First Finals Run With Knicks
OG Anunoby’s first finals run with the Knicks carries extra weight because he missed Toronto’s 2019 title push after an emergency appendectomy. Now he is into the series again, and the forward said he is really excited for a matchup with the Spurs.
Anunoby’s 2026 surge
His playoff numbers back that up. In the 2026 playoffs, Anunoby has averaged 19.7 points, 6.9 assists and hit 48.3% from three while giving New York high-level defensive contributions.
That production has come after a second-round hamstring injury, a reminder that the path back to this stage has not been clean. He was also named to the second All-Defense team of his career in 2026, adding a defensive marker to a postseason already built on scoring and playmaking.
Toronto and New York
Anunoby said, "I was younger back then, so I didn’t realize how hard it is to get back" when talking about the Raptors’ 2019 title run. He was sidelined for that playoff run after the emergency appendectomy, while Toronto went on to win the title without him.
The Knicks made their bet on him in 2023, trading two homegrown fan-favorites to get him. That move now sits at the center of New York’s push into the finals, with Anunoby positioned as one of the players expected to handle the toughest part of the matchup.
Spurs matchup ahead
He said, "Getting back is amazing. It takes a lot, and I’m really excited." The next test is the Spurs, and Anunoby said he has not yet faced a matchup like the one they will present.
For New York, that leaves the focus on whether his scoring, passing and defense can carry over against a team he has not seen before. For Anunoby, the return is the point after years of waiting: first the missed 2019 run, then the 2023 trade, then the 2026 playoffs that finally put him back in the finals.
