OG Anunoby's pull-up shooting threat only adds to his immense value

On the latest Strictly Hoops, Amit Mann and C.J. Miles discuss why OG Anunoby is such a tough defender and how adding a pull up 3-point shot helps his rim penetration. Watch the full episode on the 'Raptors Over Everything' podcast feed or watch on our YouTube channel.

Video Transcript

CJ MILES: So did the other guys. OG's shooting the ball well, also.

AMIT MANN: Before we get to some of that stuff we'll switch to the defense. And want to get your thoughts on just what you saw from the squad. I mean, OG had a terrific defensive game, as he always does, all defense. I'm sure he's going to be on the way.

CJ MILES: First team.

AMIT MANN: Man we've got get--

CJ MILES: In the words of TA, first team.

AMIT MANN: DPOY, we've got to make that happen. That's for sure, at some point in his career.

CJ MILES: Yeah.

AMIT MANN: Yeah.

CJ MILES: Because now, everybody sees it now. It's not like, is it going to happen? He could be. You hear other players from other teams, guys that are great scorers, talking about him. And, obviously, you watch the game and you see it, right?

AMIT MANN: Yeah.

CJ MILES: And then the crazy thing is he's got a guy that can keep him fresh with Scottie Barnes. So, like, guys get into that tandem, like Anthony coming in there and getting those two guys, like getting OG. And then OG gets tired.

And I send Scottie Barnes with his wingspan, his active hands and everything at you. And they're two different types of defenders. OG is very solid. He's got good hands. He'll get steals. But he's not going to gamble. He's not. He's just going to be in the way, big, strong, agile. And then Scottie is just, like, all over you, like long wingspan, hands up, trying to get steals, trying to rush you. Trying to-- and I think the difference between those two is what makes it the perfect tandem to be a switch up.

AMIT MANN: That cardio work is really showing. That showed in that first game. He didn't stop. He didn't stop, Scottie.

CJ MILES: Yeah, they're playing at a good pace, too. Like, they're getting up and down the floor.

AMIT MANN: Yeah.

CJ MILES: They're changing ends. Guys are active. Like, they're in good shape.

AMIT MANN: So with OG against Anthony Edwards, so going through some of the numbers, Ant, great start, man. Holy, like, what a player.

CJ MILES: He's nice, man.

AMIT MANN: You talk about guys that, getting themselves, feeling into the first game of the season, he started so well, 12 points in the first quarter. And, OG, after the game was asked about it. He's like, you know, Ant, he's such a good player. And I was kind of respecting him a little bit too much, to a degree where I wasn't as aggressive as they need to be. They were going under on screens. And right off the bat, Ant was making them pay. But after the first quarter, mind you. I said that Ant shot 3 of 5. He shot 5 of 22.

CJ MILES: Yeah.

AMIT MANN: And OG is all over that, stride for stride, staying with him.

CJ MILES: He's everywhere. Like I said, he's so solid.

AMIT MANN: Yeah.

CJ MILES: And he moves well. And even if you watch him when he's chasing somebody off a screen, even if he gets clipped, he's so strong. It doesn't slow him down.

AMIT MANN: He just blows through the defender.

CJ MILES: Yeah, or it's just like he just changes his angle a little bit. And he's just still moving, right? And he's got the length to cover ground. He's athletic. And I think his willingness to stay solid is what makes him so good.

AMIT MANN: Yeah.

CJ MILES: Like, he doesn't let the, "I'm a really good defender." part go to his head where it makes him gamble. He's like, I can recover. Or I could block it. Or I could-- he's just so solid. And that patience is what's making him really, really hard to beat for some of these scorers because even when you get mad at him and you want to try to bully him, you can't do that because he's an ox.

AMIT MANN: And he's not even-- just like he's using his body. He's playing fundamentally-sound defense. He's not hacking at you. And if he does dig at you, he's probably going to be coming up with the ball. And also his off-ball digs, right? The way he tags and recovers, like, it's so impressive to watch, man.

And there was a possession where it was empty side with Ant and OG. And Ant drove to the basket on the left side and OG, terrific contest, and Ant went high off the backboard, didn't work. But then there's OG beating Ant down the floor on the other side, you know, sidestep. And he got a layup.

Terrific start to the season for him. And some of those pull-up 3's that he had, we talked to them in the last episode about the pace in which-- yeah, but the pace in which he is working in practice and the Steph Curry camp he attended. And this was a game where you saw some of that pay off.

CJ MILES: Yeah, that definitely shows up in those type of shots. Like, the only way you can get good at off the dribble 3's and the type of shots he's starting to create for himself, is by working at them at pace. Doing them slow will not translate to the game. It's impossible, right?

Like, because your mind and your body can't compensate for the drift that's going to happen or the just a little bit of balance mechanics you've got to change in the air sometimes. Like, you've got to be able to produce force in practice to be able to take that to the game.

AMIT MANN: Yeah.