One other huge man is again within the combine for the Knicks.
Ariel Hukporti was energetic for Saturday night time’s Recreation 1 within the Knicks’ first-round playoff collection towards the Detroit Pistons, marking the rookie heart’s return from the torn meniscus he suffered in late February.
The clearance got here a day after Hukporti was upgraded to questionable for the primary time since he underwent surgical procedure on his left knee.
“It’s just been a gradual buildup,” head coach Tom Thibodeau stated of Hukporti’s restoration.
Hukporti practiced Friday and was a game-time choice Saturday earlier than he went by a pregame warmup at Madison Sq. Backyard.
The return got here a little bit over seven weeks after Hukporti sustained the damage in a Feb. 26 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, throughout which the 23-year-old made his first profession begin.
Hukporti — the 58th and ultimate decide in final 12 months’s draft — averaged 1.9 factors and a couple of.0 rebounds in 8.7 minutes per recreation over 25 appearances within the common season. He performed at the least 16 minutes in every of his final three video games.
The 6-11 heart offers Thibodeau another choice off the bench towards a Pistons staff that thrives on physicality. Detroit’s beginning heart, Jalen Duren, is 6-10, whereas backup Isaiah Stewart is 6-8 however recognized for his bruising type of play.
Hukporti stays behind Karl-Anthony Cities and Mitchell Robinson on the Knicks’ depth chart. Valuable Achiuwa, in the meantime, has performed energy ahead and heart.
