Injuries are now becoming a bigger concern for the New York Knicks after the first few weeks of the NBA season. Jalen Brunson was recently ruled out and set to miss time with an ankle sprain and OG Anunoby is the most recent star to hit the injury report.
Anunoby left the Knicks’ recent win over the Miami Heat with a left hamstring strain, and though there was initially uncertainty on when he would return, the latest injury update from the wing player doesn’t bode well for New York’s immediate future.
“New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby will be re-evaluated in two weeks due to a left hamstring strain, sources tell ESPN,” insider Shams Charania wrote in a post on X.
The 28-year-old didn’t return to the game against Miami after leaving early with a hamstring strain. After an uncertain status in the first 36 hours after the game, the forward has now been ruled out for at least two weeks. He will also not travel on the team’s upcoming five-game road trip.
In his previous 12 appearances for the Knicks this season, Anunoby was averaging 15.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.9 steals per game on 47.6% shooting.
What The OG Anunoby Injury Update Means For New York
A hamstring strain usually implies some missed time, but before Charania’s update, it was uncertain how long Anunoby would be out.
“The Knicks said they would see how Anunoby feels Saturday, though it’s expected he will get an MRI to reveal the extent of the injury,” Tim Bontemps wrote for ESPN after Anunoby suffered his hamstring strain on Friday.
But now, he joins Brunson on the team’s injury report, as both are expected to be out for a decent stretch of the early part of the season.
“Considering New York’s lack of depth, losing Anunoby would be a problem under normal circumstances. But that’s compounded by the loss of Brunson,” Bontemps added.
Anunoby hadn’t missed a game for New York this season and is coming off playing in 70 games last year in what was his first full season in a Knicks jersey. While his scoring and minutes played are a bit down from last year, his rebounds, assists, and steals averages are all up in head coach Mike Brown’s new style.
The 6’8” forward remains one of the team’s key pieces on defense, along with Mikal Bridges, but his absence will definitely be felt by a team that lacks top-tier depth. While his injury might not yet spell disaster for the team, it does mean some changes are coming for a Knicks squad that expects to compete for its first NBA championship in more than 50 years.
Who Steps Up For The Knicks?
The injuries of the two key players mean Karl-Anthony Towns, Bridges, and others will be forced to take on a bigger role in the future.
“Anunoby went back to the locker room in the first quarter and was quickly ruled out with a strained hamstring,” CBS Sports Rotowire staff wrote on Friday, before the extent of Anunoby’s injury was revealed. “With the Knicks already without Jalen Brunson (ankle), Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns are likely to shoulder most of the offensive load, while Anunoby’s absence could mean more opportunities for Landry Shamet, Josh Hart and Jordan Clarkson.”
Though Towns was dealing with a lingering injury to begin the year, the center has now gotten back to peak performance, dropping 39 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists in the game against Miami without Brunson and Anunoby. After a shaky start, he’s now averaging 21.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists while playing in all 12 Knicks’ games.
Shamet also had his best performance of the year against Miami, putting up 36 points on 63.2% shooting. With Brunson out, he will likely take on a bigger scoring and playmaking role for the time being.
But while Shamet, Hard, Clarkson, and Miles McBride will take on the replacement roles for Brunson, Bridges will also have an elevated role on the wing with Anunoby now sidelined. He is once again putting up strong, consistent numbers for the Knicks and will now have an even bigger role on the defensive side.
Record and team statistics-wise, things have been going well in New York’s first season with Brown leading the way. However, with Brunson and now Anunoby out, the next few weeks will be a test for the Knicks.
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