The building had that uneasy playoff feeling after the final buzzer. Although the game was in their favor, one question hovered over everything, and it was not hard to sense it in the room.
Karl-Anthony Towns had just turned in another sharp performance, but the postgame focus quickly shifted.
With OG Anunoby’s health suddenly back in the spotlight, Towns was left talking through a situation that still does not have clear edges.
Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby have been vital to the Knicks’ playoff formula
GettyKarl-Anthony Towns Sends Concerning Message as OG Anunoby Injury Looms
Anunoby left Game 2 against Philadelphia and did not return, which only adds to the concern around what comes next.
Asked in the postgame press conference about his chemistry with Anunoby, and whether that could be replicated with other Knicks, Towns did not pretend to have an answer.
As Kris Pursiainen of ClutchPoints shared from the session, Towns said:
“Yeah, but— I don’t have any plans of doing that. I don’t really know. We’ll regroup tomorrow, see what the whole situation is.”
That answer matters because Towns has been playing good basketball. In the recent win over Philadelphia, he had 20 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists.
It also matters because the Towns-Anunoby pairing has been real, not just theoretical. In the Hawks series, the two helped control the glass and steady the game in ways that showed up possession after possession.
Recently, Mike Brown said, “KAT and OG were monsters. The two of them, they were phenomenal — it was huge for us to be able to keep them off the glass and out of transition.”
Towns has already made clear how highly he thinks of Anunoby’s value. In the last series against the Hawks, Towns said, “He’s one of the best two-way players in the NBA. This series has been great for him to show the world that he’s something we’ve always thought he was — when you have someone like that who is that good offensively and even better defensively, it’s special.”
OG Anunoby’s absence changes the Knicks around Karl-Anthony Towns
GettyKnicks Suddenly Facing Major Problem After OG Anunoby Scare
That is why this injury wounds more than just one change of the lineup. Without Anunoby, the Knicks lose a major part of their defensive identity as well as some of their balance alongside Towns.
It really turns Towns’ game upside down. The Knicks have even more reliance on his passing and decision-making, and that works best when cutters and finishers, such as Anunoby, are in perfect harmony around him.
If OG has the unfortunate circumstance of the injury, it is likely that Mikal Bridges will take up more responsibility, while Landry Shamet or Miles McBride might be asked to spend more time on the wing.
Right now, that is all it is: waiting. Towns is undoubtedly playing well, but every single Knicks fan is aware of the fact that this team just does not feel the same when Anunoby is not there. The next news will be crucial.
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