OG Anunoby’s damage absence continues.
The Knicks dominated out the versatile ahead a few half-hour earlier than Thursday’s dwelling sport towards the Chicago Bulls, marking the sixth sport in a row that Anunoby missed with a proper foot sprain.
Anunoby was a full participant in Wednesday’s follow and had been listed as questionable for Thursday’s sport.
“We’ll see what medical says,” head coach Tom Thibodeau stated just a little over an hour earlier than Anunoby was dominated out.
Anunoby, 27, was additionally listed as questionable earlier than the Knicks’ video games on Feb. 11 and Feb. 12 however didn’t play in both.
Thursday marked the Knicks’ first sport for the reason that All-Star break.
It’s been practically three weeks since Anunoby suffered the non-contact damage on Feb. 1 when he planted awkwardly throughout a house loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
An elite defender, Anunoby is averaging 16.4 factors per sport on 48.2% capturing, together with 36.5% from 3-point vary. Coming into play Thursday, his 1777.7 minutes ranked 18th within the NBA, whereas his 36.3 minutes per sport ranked eleventh.
“[He’s] strong on both sides of the ball, guards multiple positions and gets us out in transition,” Thibodeau stated.
“What he does is roams and creates a lot of havoc, and that gets us into the open floor. Those easy baskets are huge for us.”
The Knicks went 4-1 of their first 5 video games with out Anunoby, however his absence loomed just a little bigger Thursday. Josh Hart, who ranks second within the NBA with 2002.7 minutes performed, was additionally dominated out towards Chicago with patellofemoral syndrome, or “runner’s knee,” in his proper knee.
The Knicks additionally stay with out shot-blocking middle Mitchell Robinson, who’s nearing his season debut after final Could’s left ankle surgical procedure.
Thursday’s sport towards the Bulls, who entered at 22-33, was the primary leg of a back-to-back. The Knicks are set to go to the Jap Convention-leading Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night time.
“Going into the season, you know you’re going to hit stretches like that, and you have to have a strategy for everything,” Thibodeau stated, talking broadly in regards to the Knicks’ method to injured gamers throughout back-to-backs.
“If we’re in a back-to-back, we worry about the first game. We’ll worry about the second game tomorrow, but stay locked into what we have to do today. If you’re available, great. If not, the next guy has to be ready.”
Valuable Achiuwa and Miles “Deuce” McBride began rather than Anunoby and Hart.
Anunoby began every of the Knicks’ first 49 video games earlier than his ongoing absence, however accidents have hampered the ahead all through his eight-year NBA profession.
Final season, he missed 27 of a doable 50 regular-season video games with the Knicks with an injured elbow after being acquired from the Toronto Raptors in a December 2023 commerce.
He additionally missed 4 video games in the course of the Knicks’ second-round playoff collection towards the Indiana Pacers with a hamstring pressure, then lasted solely 5 minutes when he tried to return for a do-or-die Recreation 7.
However Anunoby stays an simple difference-maker when he’s within the lineup. The Knicks entered Thursday with a 58-23 report, together with the playoffs, when Anunoby is lively.
Anunoby re-signed with the Knicks within the offseason on a five-year, $212.5 million contract.
