The New York Knicks are up 3-0 on the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals and one win away from their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999. With the series firmly in hand, one storyline still worth watching is the health of OG Anunoby and whether he can stay that way.
SNY Knicks shared a video clip on X from a postgame presser where a reporter asked Anunoby directly about his hamstring and how the recovery process has been going. He kept it simple, and what he said was exactly what New York wanted to hear.
OG Anunoby Opens Up About His Hamstring Recovery
GettyOG Anunoby Gives Knicks Fans the News They Were Desperate to Hear
“Each day, I start feeling better and better. We have a great medical staff. Just every day, take it day by day, getting stronger each day. Great team, great coaches, so it’s been great, it’s very collaborative,” Anunoby said.
For most players, that would be standard postgame talk. For Anunoby, given his history with this exact injury, those words carry real weight. Back in the 2024 Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Indiana Pacers, a hamstring strain cost him Games 3 through 6 and left him with just five minutes in a 130-109 Game 7 blowout loss at Madison Square Garden. That postseason ended for him before it really had a chance to get going.
When he grabbed his hamstring late in Game 2 against the Philadelphia 76ers this postseason, every Knicks fan felt that same dread creeping back in. He missed the final two games of that series, though New York swept Philadelphia without him anyway.
OG Anunoby Hamstring Status for Knicks vs Cavaliers ECF
GettyOG Anunoby’s Latest Injury Comments Could Change Everything for the Knicks
Fortunately, this strain never really felt exactly like the 2024 one. Anunoby described it as strange rather than painful and said he didn’t think it was the serious kind right away.
That belief boosted his comeback, and it is evident in the box score as he gradually improves after each game.
He returned in Game 1, played 34 minutes, and has seemed to regain his form. At Game 3 in Cleveland, he scored 21 points while the Knicks triumphed 121-108 and gained a 3-0 lead. Currently, he has also been cleared from the injury report, which is a major improvement after being listed as probable before Game 1.
With Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns already spearheading this offense, the Knicks could have been a nightmare for the opponents even without a healthy OG.
However, now that he is getting stronger and is one of the top performers at a high level, Cleveland must be running out of solutions. New York is just a single victory away from the Finals, and their top two-way player is heading in the perfect direction.
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