OG Anunoby leads the Knicks to lead the Nuggets with a career-high 40

DENVER – After Michael Malone called the Knicks one of the NBA’s “elite” offensive teams, they showed the championship-winning NBA coach why with an explosive performance Monday night at Ball Arena.

The Knicks combined both facets of their game – sharing the ball to set a franchise record with 45 assists – and achieved by far their most impressive victory over Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets, 145-118.

OG Anunoby, who received the richest contract in team history over the summer ($212.5 million), continued his scoring streak in November with a career-high 40 points on a blistering 16-for-23 from the field, including five of seven points 3-point range.

“I just get better with every game. I’m sure it’s going to get better and better,” said Anunoby, who made a season-high of 27 with seven made 3-pointers a game earlier in Saturday’s loss to the Jazz. “(I feel) just comfortable. …Just be ready to shoot and don’t refuse shots. And (I) hunt more.”

Thibodeau’s team also bounced back from a poor defensive performance in Utah, but once again it was the Knicks’ high-octane offense that stood out again.

Their 76 in the first two quarters were their most points scored in a half this season, and their 45 assists matched the franchise mark set in 1979.

Jalen Brunson scored 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 the 2008-09 season to score at least 20 and 15 in those categories in the same game.

Karl-Anthony Towns remained in the lineup after being listed as questionable after a minus-34 at Utah and finished the game with 30 points and 15 rebounds for the Knicks (10-7).

Jokic, the three-time MVP who is averaging a triple-double this season, was largely guarded by Towns and had 22 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in 32 minutes for the Nuggets (9-7).

“He’s obviously an incredible player. “His record speaks for itself,” Thibodeau said. “What he does is really impressive. He gets better and better every year. That’s a testament to the work he puts into the game.”

In return, Malone praised Thibodeau and noted that the Knicks have been an “elite” offensive team this season.

“For all the Tom Thibodeau haters out there saying he’s not an offensive line coach, you just have to really appreciate your team,” Malone said. “Because they’re elite offensively.

“I think they are top five in almost every offensive category. Field goal, 3-pointers, free throws, offensive efficiency, this team has a lot of weapons. They are very efficient in everything they do.”

Unlike teams coached by Thibodeau, the Knicks have struggled on the other end of the court so far this season and entered the game ranked 21st in the NBA in defensive rating.

Anunoby, who averaged 20.0 points in November, practiced his first four shots (including two 3s) and scored 12 points in the first quarter.

Jokic had 13 for the Nuggets, but Brunson also scored 12 for a 36-24 Knicks lead by one. The Knicks shot an impressive 68.6 percent from the field (16 for 23) while holding Denver to 39.1 percent (9 for 23) in the period.

Towns hit a 3-pointer and a down-the-lane dunk early in the second quarter, and his second three-pointer extended the lead to 21 less than three minutes into the quarter.

Towns mostly guarded Jokic, but Anunoby later denied the six-time All-Star and went the distance for a layup. He also received a long feed from Josh Hart after a steal for an uncontested dunk and scored 20 points before halftime as the Knicks took a 76-53 lead into the break, their highest point total of a half of the season.

Anunoby broke free for two more dunks early in the third, extending the lead to 26, and the Nuggets never got closer than 17 after that.

Anunoby, whose previous career highlight was a 36-point win for the Raptors against the Knicks in 2021, set a new personal record with two more 3-pointers late in the session to give them a 113-87 lead early on of the last quarter.