The Knicks started the East Finals at home with a 115-104 overtime victory over Cleveland Cavaliers at MSG. After sweeping the 76ers, New York entered the game riding a wave of momentum, but the main concern before the game was if OG Anunoby would even be playing.
During a postgame interview shown on the Knicks broadcast, Anunoby spoke about how he was able to return from a right hamstring strain and how he thought his teammates performed during the game.
OG Anunoby Injury Return: Knicks Star Offers a Positive Update
GettyIs OG Anunoby Still Injured? Knicks Star Addresses Concerns After Game 1 vs Cavs
Anunoby had a hamstring strain in Game 2 of the 76ers second-round series and missed the last two games of the series. The Knicks won the series against Philly without him, but since Cleveland is a much stronger team, getting him back in good condition was one of the main goals.
He suited up and played 34 minutes, finishing with 13 points on 2-of-9 shooting, while pulling down five rebounds. The shooting line was not his best, but given he had been off for nearly two weeks, nobody expected him to be at full tilt right away. He knew it too.
When asked how he felt playing his first game back, Anunoby kept it simple: “I felt good. I felt good, for sure.”
Pressed on whether the layoff affected him early on, he was honest about it: “Yeah, yeah. I mean, a little rust, but I was expecting it. I knew that. So just continue to play hard, keep shooting well shots, keep being aggressive.”
Landry Shamet Steals the Show as Knicks Take Game 1 Lead
GettyKnicks Star OG Anunoby Addresses Injury Concern After East Finals Return
While Anunoby worked through the rust, someone else picked up the slack in a big way. Landry Shamet came off the bench and delivered one of the biggest shots of the night, hitting a three to tie the game at 99 when Cleveland was up by three late.
Shamet finished with nine points on 3-of-4 from three in 17 minutes, posting a team-best +25 on the night.
Anunoby noticed, and was not shy about saying so: “I mean Landry was amazing, you know, he hit big shots, played great defense, you know. I mean we’re never, we weren’t surprised, you know, that’s what he does. He’s an amazing player, so happy for him.”
Jalen Brunson really shined for the Knicks, scoring 38 points on 15-of-29 shooting and hitting the free throw line 10 times. Mikal Bridges contributed 18 points, and Karl-Anthony Towns added a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds. Cleveland got a big 29-point effort from Donovan Mitchell, but it wasn’t enough since New York got a good lead in overtime.
With this win, the Knicks take a 1-0 lead in the series. Anunoby’s comeback gives this team a fresh weapon on both offense and defense, and if he quickly shakes off the rust, Cleveland will indeed face a tough situation.
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