OG Anunoby once played 56 minutes in a triple-overtime game with the Raptors in the 2021-22 season, so he isn’t overly concerned about logging heavy totals in his past three games with the Knicks over a four-day span.
He was on the floor for 44 minutes Monday against the Magic, 43 minutes Wednesday against the Rockets, and 43 minutes Thursday against the Wizards.
“I felt good. I feel fine,” Anunoby said after Thursday’s win over Washington. “I didn’t even know how many minutes it was. I felt fine. In Toronto, I played like 58 in one game. I’ve played a lot of minutes before. So I’m used to this.”
Overall, Anunoby has averaged 36.7 minutes per game in 10 games since he was acquired from the Raptors, who will be at the Garden — along with returning former Knicks RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley — on Saturday night.
Only five NBA players have averaged more playing time this season through Thursday’s league action.
“OG was OG. He’s something,” Tom Thibodeau said. “In the end, sometimes that’s what’s called for. So you do what you think is called for.
“Right now, we’ve got to find our way as we’re adjusting.”
With Josh Hart sidelined with a knee injury, Thibodeau played each of his five starters at least 38 minutes against Washington.
“That’s where we are,” he added. “Just go day by day and some guys are playing big minutes. We’re shorthanded. That’s what happens.”
The Knicks will face one of their potential trade options Saturday ahead of the Feb. 8 deadline in former Nets guard Bruce Brown. He was acquired by the Raptors from Indiana earlier this week in the Pascal Siakam deal.
Quentin Grimes, a potential Knicks trade chip, was the only reserve to play more than nine minutes in Thursday’s win. But he was held scoreless on 0-for-5 shooting (all from 3-point range) and was minus-12 in 19 minutes.
Hart (left patellar tendinopathy) has been listed as questionable again after sitting out for the first time this season on Thursday night. Jakob Poeltl (ankle) is out for the Raptors and Otto Porter Jr. (ankle) is doubtful.