The whole building felt that jolt when Knicks‘ OG Anunoby limped off late in Game 2 against Philadelphia. In a series that had already turned nasty and physical, it looked like the kind of moment that could swing a playoff run.
Instead, the Knicks came away with something close to the best outcome possible. The injury is real, but the timing of the wins around it has given New York a much softer landing than anyone expected.
Knicks Get The Best-Case OG Anunoby News After Beating 76ers
GettyKnicks Get Perfect OG Anunoby Injury Break After Dominating 76ers
Anunoby exited the Game 2 win after hurting his right leg, and he was later ruled out for both Game 3 and Game 4 with a right hamstring strain. The key detail the whole way was New York’s wording. The Knicks kept calling him day-to-day, not out long term, and that left the door open for optimism. Brown also made clear his status would be decided by the medical staff, not by playoff desperation.
The best possible news here is simple, the Knicks won anyway. They beat the 76ers 108-94 in Game 3 without Anunoby, then finished the series with a 144-114 win in Game 4 to reach the Eastern Conference finals.
That matters more than anything else. It means Anunoby gets extra rest now, and the Knicks never had to force him back into this series.
Around that result, the messaging has stayed encouraging. Reporting said there was “optimisim” he could have played in either Game 3 or Game 4, but New York never had to push it.
Brown summed up what Anunoby means to this team before Game 3. “At that size and athleticism and IQ, feel, two-way player , you want a guy like OG on your team,” he said. He followed with another line that fits the way Anunoby has carried himself all year, calling him “the ultimate definition of sacrifice, where you just go and do your job as best you can to try to help the team win.”
Now the Knicks wait to see who comes out of the other side of the bracket. That uncertainty is actually a gift. Every extra day before the conference finals is another day for Anunoby’s hamstring to calm down, and after this closeout, New York has earned the right to be patient.
OG Anunoby’s Absence Pushed Miles McBride Into A Bigger Knicks Role
GettyMiles McBride Delivered Exactly What Knicks Needed Without OG Anunoby
With Anunoby sidelined, Miles McBride became the clearest next-man-up answer. McBride understood the assignment right away. “He’s one of the best two-way players in the league, and it’s tough to replace that. You don’t replace it with one guy. Everybody’s going to have to step up,” he said.
That became the theme of the closeout stretch, and reporting indicated McBride was expected to take on a majority of the minutes while OG was out.
McBride showed his best performance in Game 4 against the 76ers. He scored 25 points with 7-9 from three-point range.
Before the injury, Anunoby had been sensational this postseason, averaging 21.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.1 blocks in eight games. If New York gets that player back for the conference finals, this whole scare may end up feeling like a delay, not a derailment.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Knicks Offer Best News For OG Anunoby Ahead of Conference Finals appeared first on HEAVY.