The Knicks are getting more healthy.
Ahead-center Valuable Achiuwa returned Thursday from the left hamstring harm he suffered throughout the preseason, including much-needed depth to the Knicks’ second unit.
The Knicks made Achiuwa lively for Thursday’s sport towards the Charlotte Hornets at Madison Sq. Backyard after he went by his pregame warmups.
“His strengths are he can play multiple positions, gives you a little more switching ability, and then obviously offensively, the offensive rebounding and playing out of the pocket, running the floor,” Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau mentioned earlier than the sport.
“Just get him going again, but it’s great to have him back.”
The Knicks added Achiuwa, 25, final December within the commerce that introduced ahead OG Anunoby over from the Toronto Raptors.
Achiuwa shortly emerged as a worthwhile rotation participant, utilizing a excessive motor and bodily taking part in type to common 7.6 factors and seven.2 rebounds in 24.2 minutes per sport in 49 appearances, together with 18 begins, with the Knicks.
He was one of many few wholesome Knicks remaining by the top of their second-round playoff collection loss to the Indiana Pacers. He began two video games final postseason.
The Knicks re-signed Achiuwa within the offseason to a one-year, $6 million contract, shortly after middle Isaiah Hartenstein left in free company for the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder.
Achiuwa returns as a reserve behind Anunoby at energy ahead and Karl-Anthony Cities at middle. Fellow middle Mitchell Robinson stays out after present process surgical procedure on his left ankle in Could.
In Achiuwa’s 21-game absence, Cities averaged 33.5 minutes per sport, with Jericho Sims working as his major backup and rookie Ariel Hukporti additionally mixing in. Sims entered Thursday averaging 2.0 factors and 4.2 rebounds in 13.7 minutes per sport.
Achiuwa appeared in all 5 of the Knicks’ preseason video games this yr, averaging 9.4 factors and seven.2 rebounds in 24.6 minutes per sport.
