OG Anunoby isn't satisfied.
The New York Knicks had an outstanding 137-98 win over the Philadelphia 76ers to kick off the Eastern Conference semifinals and looking at a score like that, it's easy to think from an outside perspective that the Knicks already have this series locked down.
But this the playoffs, where anything can happen. The Knicks are being cautious about this series and they're deeply aware that they still have three more games to win, so they're careful not to underestimate their opponents or overestimate their own abilities.
Overconfidence can be the down fall of any team and the Knicks want to make sure they stay prepared for anything to happen.
Considering how dominant their victory was, though, and how dominant they've been going back to the end of their series against the Hawks, it might be hard to find things to improve on. Clearly what they've been able to do so far has been effective to a historic degree and yet, the Knicks are fixating more on what they can do differently.
OG Anunoby Thinks Knicks Can Do Better
Both their defense and their offense was operating at a high level, both to shut down anything the 76ers were trying to do and in response create ample opportunities for themselves to light up the score board.
New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) controls the ball against Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe (77) during the second quarter of game one of the eastern conference semifinal round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Brad Penner-Imagn ImagesIt isn't a question on if one half of their game or the other was serving them, but OG Anunoby and the Knicks are planning on putting a microscope to both to make sure that their blowout wins aren't just moments to look back on.
"Both have room to improve. We can always be better. Always clean things up. We played good tonight. We'll watch the film, review and we can always play better," Anunoby said (via SNY).
Staying Ready
It's always going to be crucial to look back on film and either learn from mistakes or get a clearer understanding of what's needed going forward. As great as the Knicks' blowout win was, it's also the kind of game that can light a fire under the team that was on the losing end and the Knicks want to be ready for Philadelphia's response.
New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) controls the ball against Philadelphia 76ers forward Justin Edwards (11) during the first quarter of game one of the eastern conference semifinal round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Brad Penner-Imagn ImagesThat kind of awareness and diligence is key to a championship mindset and the Knicks are looking increasingly like that's the destination they're heading toward.
Their may not be a lot of mistakes for the Knicks to ponder on, other than minimizing their turnovers, of which the Knicks had 14, but it's a certainty that if there are any flaws in the Knicks' game, they'll be addressing them ahead of Game 2.