Have Knicks' Title Odds Improved Since OG Anunoby Trade?
A new year has brought about new wrinkles to the New York Knicks' championship fold.
On the penultimate day of 2023, the Knicks dealt foundational faces RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to the Toronto Raptors for a three-man yield headlined by OG Anunoby. While the Knicks (18-15) worked through a successful calendar year (their 45 wins being fifth-most in the Eastern Conference), professional and amateur observers alike called for the team to make a trade to improve their Eastern Conference standing after winning their first playoff series since 2013 last spring.
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Game one of the Anunoby era was a resounding success, as the Knicks took down the Western Conference leaders from Minnesota by a 112-106 final on Monday afternoon at Madison Square Garden. That, however, wasn't enough to sway oddsmakers in the Knicks' favor.
Updated odds from BetOnline only slightly raised the Knicks' 2024 championship odds, as they currently stand at 45-1 compared to 50-1 at the start of December. Interestingly, the Knicks' NBA Finals chances slightly improved while their odds to win the Eastern Conference took a dip from 20-1 to 25-1.
While well-regarded for his defense and coveted by several contenders at last year's trade deadline, Anunoby wasn't commonly viewed as a needle-moving superstar, unlike others that have lingered in the Knicks' rumor mill like Joel Embiid, Donovan Mitchell, and Monday opponent Karl-Anthony Towns.
Odds, however, have improved for the Knicks since the holiday season: back on Nov. 1, they were given 66-1 odds to lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy amid a 2-3 start and a cold stretch from the field for two-time All-Star Julius Randle. Both Randle and Jalen Brunson have resembled their prior selves in recent weeks and several observers have them both bound for the upcoming NBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis.
Ultimately, however, the new headlining trio of Anunoby, Brunson, and Randle doesn't appear to hold a candle to some of the more enduring Eastern Conference collaborations. The Boston Celtics, paced by Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, are the favorites in the chase for both the East (5-4) and the Finals (17-5) while the Giannis Antetokounmpo-Damian Lillard-led Milwaukee Bucks (19-4/9-5) are right behind them.
In another intriguing twist, Toronto's already-remote championship odds remained stationed at 200-1 while their chances to win the East moved up to 100-1. In addition to Anunoby, the Raptors also dealt reserves Precious Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn as they try to make their way back onto the bracket after falling in last season's Play-In round.
The Knicks (18-15) return to action on Wednesday night against the Chicago Bulls (8:30 p.m. ET, MSG/ABC).
