Fans of the New York Knicks can breathe a sigh of relief, as there’s growing belief that OG Anunoby’s hamstring injury is likely grade 1 at best.
Per SNY’s Ian Begley, several players on the Knicks expect Anunoby to play in either Game 3 or Game 4 against the Philadelphia 76ers. Anunoby will travel to Philadelphia after sustaining a hamstring strain in Wednesday’s 108-102 Game 2 win.
“The Knicks are seemingly getting good news on OG Anunoby on Thursday,” Begley said, while adding that Anunoby will be questionable for Game 3.
“People feared the worst when he left Game 2 hobbling. The day after, it was determined that the Knicks had dodged a significant injury with Anunoby.
“I’m told there’s optimism in the locker room that Anunoby will be playing in Philadelphia in Game 3 on Friday or Game 4 on Sunday,” he added.
OG Anunoby Injury Update
The Knicks insider added that the Knicks are “breathing a sigh of relief” as they fully acknowledge Anunoby’s importance to their championship aspirations.
“The Knicks certainly have to be happy with what they’ve learned about OG Anunoby’s health going into Game 3,” added Begley.
Earlier in the day, ESPN’s Shams Charania also reported that Anunoby was “day to day” with his hamstring strain, which immediately spelled good news for the Knicks. However, his report did not specify the severity of Anunoby’s hamstring strain.
Anunoby, arguably the Knicks’ second-best player in these playoffs, sustained his hamstring injury in the closing stages of Wednesday’s Game 2. The injury occurred with 2:31 left in the fourth quarter when Anunoby had a dunk attempt blocked by Sixers star Paul George. He immediately signaled to the bench and limped off the court.
OG Anunoby: Key to Knicks Title Hopes
As Begley noted, the Knicks have no real shot of making a deep playoff run without Anunoby, the team’s most efficient three-point shooter and best perimeter defender. In Game 2, he had 24 points, five rebounds and four steals before the injury, continuing his red-hot form through the first eight games of the postseason.
The 3-and-D star has averaged 21.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.1 blocks on staggering shooting splits of 62/54/81, while draining 2.6 threes per game. When the athletic wing went down with his injury, Miles McBride — who will likely start Game 3 if Anunoby sits — admitted that it won’t be easy to replace Anunoby’s overall impact.
“(Anunoby’s) one of the best two-way players in the league so it’s tough to replace that but you don’t replace him with one guy. Everyone is going to have to step up,” McBride said, via New York Post’s Stefan Bondy.
Knicks vs. 76ers Game 3 tips off at 7 p.m. ET on Friday. The series shifts to Philadelphia after New York retained home advantage with a 2-0 series lead. The Knicks, just two wins away from back-to-back trips to the Eastern Conference Finals, are now the betting favorites to end their 26-year NBA Finals drought.
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