DENVER — After Michael Malone described the Knicks as one of the “elite” offensive teams in the NBA, they showed the championship-winning NBA coach why in an explosive display Monday night at Ball Arena.
The Knicks put both facets of their game together — and shared the ball to tie a franchise record with 45 assists — in easily their most impressive win of the season, 145-118, over Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets.
OG Anunoby, who was signed to the richest contract in team history over the summer ($212.5 million), continued his November scoring binge with a career-high 40 points on a scorching 16-for-23 from the floor, including five of seven from 3-point range.
“Just getting better each and every game. I’m sure it’s going to keep getting better,” said Anunoby, who netted a previous season-high 27 with seven made 3-pointers one game earlier in Saturday’s loss to the Jazz. “[I am] just comfortable. … Just be ready to shoot and not turn down shots. And [I’m] hunting more.”
Thibodeau’s team also bounced back from a poor defensive effort in Utah, but it was the Knicks’ high-octane offense that stood out again.
They matched their most points scored in one half this season with 76 through the first two quarters, and their 45 assists matched the franchise mark set in 1979.
Jalen Brunson notched 23 points with a career-high 17 assists for the Knicks, who will continue their five-game road trip Wednesday night in Dallas. He became the first Knick since Nate Robinson in 2008-09 to reach at least 20 and 15 in those categories in the same game.
Karl-Anthony Towns remained in the lineup after being listed as questionable following a minus-34 showing in Utah, and he finished with 30 points with 15 rebounds for the Knicks (10-7).
Jokic, the three-time MVP who is averaging a triple-double for the season, was largely guarded by Towns and was held to 22 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in 32 minutes for the Nuggets (9-7).
“He’s an incredible player, obviously. His record speaks for itself,” Thibodeau said. “What he’s doing is really impressive. He just keeps getting better and better every year. That’s a testament to the work he puts into the game.”
In turn, Malone complimented Thibodeau, noting that the Knicks have been an “elite” offensive team this season.
“For all the Tom Thibodeau haters out there who say he doesn’t coach offense, you just have to really appreciate their team,” Malone said. “Because offensively they are elite.
“I think in just about every offensive category they’re top-5. Field goal, 3-point, free throw, offensive efficiency, this team has a lot of weapons. They are very efficient in everything they do.”
In a reversal for Thibodeau-coached squads, the Knicks have struggled at the other end of the court so far this season, entering the game 21st in the NBA in defensive rating.
Anunoby, who came in averaging 20.0 points in November, drilled his first four shots (including two 3s) and scored 12 points in the first quarter.
Jokic had 13 for the Nuggets, but Brunson also netted 12 for a 36-24 Knicks advantage through one. The Knicks shot a scorching 68.6 percent from the field (16-for-23), while holding Denver to 39.1 percent (9-for-23) for the period.
Towns drained a 3-pointer and down-the-lane dunk early in the second, and his second trey extended the cushion to 21 less than three minutes into the quarter.
Towns mostly guarded Jokic, but Anunoby later rejected the six-time All-Star and went the distance for a layup. He also collected a long feed from Josh Hart off a steal for an uncontested dunk to reach 20 points before halftime as the Knicks cruised into intermission ahead, 76-53, matching their highest scoring half of the season.
Anunoby broke free for two more dunks early in the third to push the lead to 26, and the Nuggets never got closer than 17 thereafter.
Anunoby, whose previous career-high was a 36-point effort for the Raptors against the Knicks in 2021, set a new personal mark with two more 3-pointers late in the session for a 113-87 lead entering the final quarter.