The New York Knicks are one win away from sweeping the Philadelphia 76ers and reaching the Eastern Conference Finals. The one thing they cannot fully control heading into today is OG Anunoby’s hamstring.
Per a video posted by @sny_knicks on X, head coach Mike Brown confirmed Anunoby’s status before Game 4. He kept it brief.
“He’s out for tonight, but he’s same thing he is day to day,” Brown said.
That makes it two straight games missed for OG Anunoby, who has been sidelined since hurting his right hamstring late in New York’s 108-102 Game 2 win over Philadelphia.
Brown also added:
“You know, the reality of it is, whether he was playing or not, we gotta go play extremely hard. So, anytime you can get rest during the run in the playoffs, you take advantage of it, but we need to go play this game the right way and really focus on bringing the energy and effort on every single possession. No matter who’s in, who’s out, because we’re trying to win.”
How OG Anunoby Got Hurt
GettyNew York Knicks lineup without Og Anunoby
With under three minutes left in Game 2, Anunoby appeared to grab at the back of his right leg while cutting to the basket. He still caught a pass and went up for a dunk, got blocked by Paul George, then hobbled back on defense and waved to the bench to come out.
He had already done plenty by that point. Anunoby finished with 24 points on 9-of-17 shooting, five rebounds, four steals, and a block in 37 minutes. The win felt good, but losing him late took some of the shine off.
New York won Game 3 without him anyway. Jalen Brunson dropped 33 points and nine assists, Mikal Bridges stepped up on defense to slow down Tyrese Maxey, and the Knicks pulled away for a 108-94 win. Six straight playoff wins, 3-0 series lead.
What the Knicks Are Missing Without Anunoby
The numbers make the loss obvious. Before the injury, Anunoby was averaging 21.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.9 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game in these playoffs, while shooting 61.9% from the field and 56.7% from three. That is not just a good run. That is historically good for a two-way player.
Even his former coach in Toronto, Nick Nurse, now on Philadelphia’s sideline, spoke highly of him before Game 2.
He’s always been a lockdown defender, and his shooting has only gotten better over time. Nurse said Anunoby just keeps improving every year and is someone who puts in the work.
This is also not Anunoby’s first hamstring scare in the second round. He went through the same thing in 2024, also with the Knicks holding a 2-0 series lead, and missed four straight games before a limited Game 7 appearance against Indiana. The Pacers won that series. Knicks fans remember.
The difference this time is New York has a 3-0 lead and can close it out today without him. The bigger picture is keeping him healthy for whatever comes next.
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