The New York Knicks just can’t catch a break when it comes to injuries. They entered Game 2 of their second-round series against the Indiana Pacers without Julius Randle, Bojan Bogdanovic or Mitchell Robinson due to injury. Then, in the first quarter, they lost star point guard Jalen Brunson to a sore foot. He eventually returned for the second half, but as soon as one Knick makes it back, another, it seems, goes to the sideline.
In the third quarter, forward OG Anunoby injured his leg while attempting a layup in transition. The injury came mid-attempt during New York’s eventual 130-121 win, so it looked as if he just threw the ball blindly off of the backboard. He was eventually ruled out with a sore left hamstring.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said he had not yet spoken to New York’s medical staff as of his postgame press conference, so he had no update yet on Anunoby’s status for Game 3. Anunoby missed 32 games this season largely due to an elbow injury.
Anunoby, like Brunson, Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo and Isaiah Hartenstein, has been playing virtually entire games for the depleted Knicks due this postseason. That was a dangerous approach given Anunoby’s lengthy injury history, but in Game 2, it seems as though New York’s entire team is starting to feel the weight of all of those extra minutes.
Were it not for Anunoby, the Knicks would have fallen out of Game 2 before Brunson could return. He left the game with 28 points on 10-of-19 shooting. He is New York’s best perimeter defender, and New York has a 25-5 record in games that he plays in this season. The Knicks are so thin right now that any long-term injury to a starter might be enough to end their season. All New York can do for now is hope that this is a relatively minor injury and he can be back for Game 3.
