The New York Knicks have mostly made good on their promise heading into the 2024-25 season; on Wednesday night, they returned to winning ways with a convincing 112-98 victory over the Toronto Raptors — with OG Anunoby playing a starring role in a matchup against his former team. Anunoby put up a game-high 27 points on an efficient 8-12 shooting from the field, notching two steals and one block as well in what is the cherry on top of a wonderful two-way performance.
On the heels of three losses in a row, this was the exact kind of performance that the Knicks needed to put together. And it could not have come at a better time too, as their next game will be coming against an Oklahoma City Thunder team that is raring to redeem itself after seeing its 15-game winning streak come to an end at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Point blank, Anunoby said that their upcoming contest against the Thunder will be a great indicator for where the Knicks stand among championship contenders.
“It's a big game because they're a great team, so it'll be a great test for us,” Anunoby said following the Knicks' win over the Raptors, via SNY on X (formerly Twitter).
The Knicks definitely made the Thunder sweat during their earlier encounter this season back on January 3. They held an eight-point lead heading into the fourth quarter of that contest, but they lost steam in the end with OKC's league-leading defense picking up the effort.
There is definitely a chance for payback for the Knicks, especially when their next game will be at home. It's never an easy challenge to face a Thunder team that shows up on the defensive end every night, but Anunoby understands the importance of the game, which means that the rest of the team will follow suit.
Knicks look for payback against the Thunder

Last Friday night, the Knicks were able to show off how incredible they can be on the offensive end of the floor. They were able to outplay the Thunder for three quarters despite failing to shoot well from beyond the arc, but they must set their sights on finishing the job this upcoming Friday.
At the very least, the Knicks can rest easier knowing that Karl-Anthony Towns is back in the lineup and played well in his return, tallying 27 points of his own on 9-14 shooting from the field in their win over the Raptors.