Knicks middle Karl-Anthony Cities battled by means of a left hand damage in Saturday’s 115-93 loss to the Boston Celtics in Recreation 3 of the Japanese Convention Semifinals at Madison Sq. Backyard.
Trailing 47-27 with 7:31 remaining within the first half, Cities powered to the rim, lofting a right-handed floater over Boston’s Al Horford and Jrue Vacation. After the play, the 7-foot middle was visibly hunched over, clutching his left hand in ache.
“It is what it is,” Cities mentioned. “I just want to do whatever I can to be out there.”
Later within the recreation, after outmuscling Luke Kornet for a rebound, the ESPN broadcast captured Cities telling teammates, “I think I broke it”, once more clutching his left hand, suggesting he believed the damage may be extreme, or presumably even a fracture.
Then early within the third quarter, whereas posting up on the low block, Cities grimaced below the rim after Vacation swiped on the ball, drawing a foul.
“It’s the playoffs,” Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau mentioned. “People are going to get hit and you have to play through things.”
The Knicks offered no official analysis for Cities’ damage throughout Recreation 3. He battled by means of to the fourth quarter, ending with 21 factors on 5-for-18 capturing with 15 rebounds in 36 minutes.
Cities declined to say whether or not he underwent an X-ray.
“That’s why you do it the entire season,” Thibodeau mentioned. “No one’s playing 100 percent. You have to understand that you can play well when you’re feeling less than your best, that’s all part of it. I think the mental toughness part of this in the playoffs is huge.”
In a January recreation towards the Detroit Pistons, Cities injured his proper thumb, seemingly jamming it into the backboard throughout a first-quarter dunk try. As in Saturday’s recreation, he performed by means of evident ache. He averted discussing the damage afterward.
Although Cities missed just one recreation, his efficiency dipped over his subsequent 9 appearances, averaging 18.1 factors whereas capturing 44.4% from the sector and 30% from 3-point vary.
“I’m going to keep finding ways to play, so I’m not tripping,” Cities mentioned.
Initially Revealed: Could 10, 2025 at 6:21 PM EDT
