The 2026 NBA postseason has been exciting so far, with a first round that delivered several Game 7s and multiple 3-1 comebacks. Now, several games into the second round, a few players have emerged with improved postseason play.
Cade Cunningham has put the Detroit Pistons on his back while Ajay Mitchell has been surprisingly impressive for the Oklahoma City Thunder, but no player has seen as big of a jump as New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby.
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During the regular season, Anunoby averaged 16.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.6 steals and 0.7 blocks per game. In terms of efficiency, he shot 48.4% from the floor 38.6% from three.
In this postseason, he’s seen elevated production in nearly every statistic. Those numbers are now up to 21.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.9 steals and 1.1 blocks in eight playoff outings.
Even more impressively, his efficiency has skyrocketed to 61.9% from the field and a blistering 53.8% from three-point range. Had he played like this in the regular season, he easily could have been an All-NBA player.
Without actually watching him play, these elevated numbers paint a picture of a player making a massive impact for a Knicks team that has looked unstoppable at times.
But when you watch the games, it’s clear that Anunoby’s impact goes beyond the already-impressive box score. He’s been extremely disruptive for opposing ball-handlers virtually everywhere on the court.
His elite switchability as a defender was on full display against the Atlanta Hawks in the first round, bothering guards, forwards and centers all with the same tenacity.
That has carried over into the second round as he’s helped the Knicks build a commanding 3-0 lead over the Philadelphia 76ers.
As previously noted, several players have elevated their play in the postseason, but none of them have stepped their game up as much as Anunoby has.
James Parker is a sports writer for Ball Exclusives, follow him on X @TheJames_Parker
