Knicks ahead OG Anunoby was sidelined for Monday’s matchup in opposition to the Houston Rockets, marking his first absence since sustaining what the group is looking a sprained proper foot in Saturday’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Head coach Tom Thibodeau described the harm as a “mild sprain” and stated the group will monitor Anunoby’s response to remedy earlier than figuring out his availability for Tuesday’s second leg of a back-to-back in Toronto in opposition to the Raptors.
“We’ll see how he responds to the treatment,” Thibodeau stated forward of tipoff on Monday. “It would be premature to say.”
Anunoby went down 90 seconds into the second half in opposition to the Lakers, his proper foot showing to offer out as he planted in transition. He gingerly walked to the sideline earlier than limping to the locker room, and the Knicks formally dominated him out for the rest of the sport shortly after.
Thibodeau confirmed Anunoby underwent an MRI and categorized him as day-to-day.
How do the Knicks change their defensive anchor?
“It’s part of it,” Thibodeau stated. “Next guy get in there and get the job done.”
Thibodeau turned to Valuable Achiuwa, inserting the reserve ahead into the beginning lineup rather than Anunoby, who had been averaging 16.4 factors per sport — together with 20.8 over his final 5 video games — earlier than the harm.
The Knicks acquired Anunoby in a blockbuster Dec. 30, 2023 commerce that despatched Immanuel Quickley, R.J. Barrett, and a second-round choose to the Raptors.
They then re-signed him to a five-year, $212.5 million deal — the richest contract in franchise historical past — to construct what they hope is an elite perimeter protection fueled by Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart as disruptors.
Anunoby’s absence, nonetheless, places extra pressure on a Knicks roster already navigating depth considerations.
Hart, for instance, may see each a minutes improve and a slight position shift in Anunoby’s absence.
Final season, Hart led the NBA in minutes performed throughout Anunoby’s month-and-a-half-long absence on account of an elbow harm, although Randle additionally sustained a season-ending shoulder harm on the identical day Anunoby left the rotation, placing extra pressure on the roster.
This season, Hart already ranks second in complete minutes behind Bridges, the league chief in time on the ground.
Hart stated nothing adjustments with Anunoby out on account of harm.
Nonetheless, Hart acknowledged that no single participant can absolutely change what Anunoby brings on protection.
“Nah, I don’t think any one person can fill the void if ‘Kal, OG, KAT [Karl-Anthony Towns] or JB [Jalen Brunson] are out,” Hart stated. “That’s gotta be something we fill by committee.”
The Knicks will discover out simply how deep their committee runs as they navigate life with out their defensive anchor — beginning with a tricky back-to-back in Toronto on Tuesday.
BIG MITCH TAKING CONTACT
Knicks middle Mitchell Robinson is formally cleared for takeoff.
The group’s medical employees gave Robinson the inexperienced gentle for contact drills on Monday, marking a big step in his restoration. The rim-protecting huge man will start taking contact in follow this week as he works towards his long-awaited return.
“Obviously there’s a number of steps for him to go through,” head coach Tom Thibodeau stated forward of tipoff in opposition to the Houston Rockets on Monday. “The next step is the contact part of practice. So just get going with that.”
Robinson has not performed since present process surgical procedure for a stress fracture in his left ankle, suffered in Recreation 1 of the Knicks’ second-round playoff sequence in opposition to the Indiana Pacers in early Might.
It was his second stress fracture to the identical ankle — and subsequently, his second process — final season alone. The preliminary harm occurred throughout a Dec. 8, 2023 matchup in opposition to the Boston Celtics, forcing him to overlook greater than three months earlier than returning for the playoffs.
Regardless of the prolonged layoff, Robinson has remained engaged, sustaining a lean body all through his rehab course of.
He walked by means of the Knicks’ locker room pregame on Monday, as soon as once more shirtless — his new routine — displaying off his maintained conditioning.
Requested if he would play in opposition to the Rockets, Robinson cracked a smile.
“Wait for the injury report to come out,” he joked, as teammates close by chimed in: “He’s questionable.”
The Knicks have felt Robinson’s absence, notably after buying and selling Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to the Minnesota Timberwolves within the blockbuster deal for Karl-Anthony Cities.
Cities thrived alongside rim-protecting, perennial Defensive Participant of the 12 months Rudy Gobert in Minnesota, and the Knicks imagine Robinson can present an identical defensive presence subsequent to their latest All-Star.
His rebounding is plain. Robinson averaged a league-best 4.6 offensive rebounds per sport final season, anchoring the Knicks’ dominance on the glass.
His return received’t be speedy — Thibodeau and the medical employees might be cautious together with his workload — however the countdown is formally on.
And for a Knicks group poised to make a playoff push, getting their defensive anchor again couldn’t come at a greater time. With three days of relaxation — and further follow time — looming forward of Saturday’s matchup in opposition to the Boston Celtics, then the weeklong All-Star break looming from Feb. 13-19, Robinson’s return may very well be the addition some have been hoping the Knicks would discover on the commerce market.
Initially Printed: February 3, 2025 at 7:55 PM EST
