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Even without the services of All-Star guard Fred VanVleet who missed the game due to back issues, the Toronto Raptors blew out a team with playoff aspirations in the Atlanta Hawks, thanks in no small part to Pascal Siakam's 31 point, 12 rebound performance, as well as Scottie Barnes' all-around contributions. However, it might be OG Anunoby's defense that played the most crucial part in setting the tone for the Raptors' dominant 139-109 victory.
Anunoby finished the game with six steals and two blocks, and he and the rest of the Raptors' thicket of long-limbed defenders made life a living hell for Trae Young, who finished with an ignominious triple-double, a 14 point, 10 assist, and 10 turnover meltdown to go along with his putrid 3-13 shooting from the field.
And after the game, Pascal Siakam hyped up OG Anunoby's under-the-radar contributions, going as far as saying that he could even challenge for one of the most esteemed accolades in the NBA: a Defensive Player of the Year trophy.
“He can be a defensive player of the year kinda guy… when he’s locked in, you can see it,” Siakam said, per Adam Laskaris, with the 28-year old point forward saying that Anunoby can be such a “nightmare” for opposing offenses to solve.
The 25-year old forward definitely entered the game against the Hawks with something to prove, as there was just no getting past him on the perimeter for the Hawks on the night. Armed with elite defensive IQ, foot speed, and a considerable 7'2.5” wingspan, Anunoby wreaked havoc on the Hawks, making each pass a chore, and making each bounce of the ball off the hardwood a more confounding task than it has any right to be.
o.g. anunoby tonight: 6 steals, 2 blocks pic.twitter.com/GiMBjQ4sx9
— William Lou (@william_lou) November 1, 2022
There will certainly be no questions regarding Anunoby's pedigree as a defender after this masterclass of a performance; it's his contributions on the offensive end that will dictate just how high his star could go. Anunoby always had a solid three-point stroke in his locker, and he's shot a solid 39.3 percent from deep on 4.7 attempts a night thus far this season. However, his scoring numbers have gone down from last season, although the Raptors really don't need him to create more on offense with their plethora of versatile offensive weapons.
At the end of the day, Raptors fans will hope that OG Anunoby will be able to stay on the court after he's missed 63 games over the past two seasons due to lower body problems. And who knows, maybe Pascal Siakam's words prove to be a foreshadowing of Anunoby's run for the coveted DPOY award.
