Today’s Hottest Take: The team is incomplete without OG Anunoby’s defensive proficiency.

The New York Knicks have played their last three games without OG Anunoby. The 6-foot-7 forward left a game against the Miami Heat on Nov. 14 with a hamstring problem. The injury has sidelined him for the team’s games against the Heat, Dallas Mavericks and Orlando Magic. New York took down Dallas in a matchup that went down to the wire, with the Knicks prevailing due to 28 points from Jalen Brunson. It looked as if it would be smooth sailing for the Knicks, going into their second meeting of the year with Orlando. However, without Anunoby, that wasn’t the case.

The Knicks were outmatched by the Magic’s offense on Nov. 22, going down 133-121 after keeping the contest close for the first three quarters. Something that became apparent to me was their lack of defense late in the game, which allowed Desmond Bane and Jalen Suggs to take over during the fourth quarter. Wagner ended the triumphant outing with 37 points while Suggs scored 26. This wouldn’t have been the case if Anunoby was in, because he would’ve been likely assigned to defending Bane, something he has experience doing since he is the team's top defender. Even more so, if the Knicks want to succeed, they need him back in the lineup as quickly as possible.

What You Need to Know: The Knicks can win without Anunoby, but it’s far from easy

On paper, it might look like the Knicks aren’t playing well without Anunoby, but in reality, they are doing better than you might assume. Take the game against Miami on Nov. 14, for example; even without Anunoby, the team still found a way to take down their opponents. Towns took control of the game, scoring 39 points and snagging 11 rebounds. The same can be said for veteran guard Landry Shamet, who put up 39 points and made six shots from long range.

Secondly, their win against the Mavericks came when the team was at almost full strength, considering Brunson had just returned from an ankle sprain. Even though the win came down to the final buzzer, New York showcased what it can do even without their top defender. However, what will make these wins seem even simplier is if Anunoby returns to the lineup. The former Toronto Raptor has had a quiet start to his ninth season, tallying 15.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.9 steals per game on 47.6 % shooting from the field. Even though his statistics don’t stand out to most, where Anunoby makes his presence felt is on the defensive side of the ball. For example, he has had multiple instances this season where he has stolen the ball more than three times. Furthermore, Anunoby usually defends the opponent's top scorer, meaning the likes of Jaylen Brown and Donovan Mitchell have to face him.

Before You Go: The Knicks have two easier upcoming games

Even though the Knicks will likely be without Anunoby for Monday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets, that shouldn’t be a problem for New York. They blew out their cross-town rivals earlier this month, 134-98. After that, they take on the Charlotte Hornets on the road. The Hornets stand at 3-14, making it unlikely that they will win against the 9-6 Knicks. But if anything for ceatrin it's that anything can happen in the NBA especially with the Knicks top defender out of the lineup.