The New York Knicks walked into Madison Square Garden on Friday already short-handed with All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson sidelined with a Grade 1 ankle sprain. Then five minutes into the first quarter, things got worse. OG Anunoby grabbed at his left hamstring after missing a fastbreak layup, headed to the bench in visible discomfort, and was ruled out shortly after.
What followedâan explosive 39 points from Karl-Anthony Towns and a career-high 36 from Landry Shametâwas enough to push New York to a 140â132 win over the Miami Heat. What happens next, however, could define the Knicksâ next stretch of the season far more than one impressive night of shot-making.
A Strong Start Interrupted at the Worst Time
Anunoby has been one of the most reliable two-way wings in the league this year, averaging 17.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.1 steals while shooting nearly 40% from three through his first 11 appearances. Mike Brown has already called him an All-Star-level player and said he deserves Defensive Player of the Year consideration.
That version of Anunoby lasted only five minutes on Friday. He finished 1-for-4 from the field with three rebounds before heading to the locker room. The Knicks quickly diagnosed the injury as a left hamstring strain and announced he would not return. According to team officials, Anunoby is expected to undergo an MRI to determine the severity by Saturday.
For a player whose value comes from versatility, physicality, and relentless defensive activity, any hamstring issue is concerning. And for a Knicks team already operating without its All-NBA point guard, the timing is brutal.
Why This Injury Matters More Than the Box Score
Brunsonâs absence alone drastically alters New Yorkâs offensive structure. The Knicks entered the game with a 123.1 offensive rating when heâs on the courtâa top-tier mark in the leagueâbut dropped to 110.3 when he sits. Anunobyâs defensive presence often helps level that gap by keeping opponentsâ best perimeter scorers in check.
Losing both simultaneously doesnât just threaten their rhythmâit tests the rosterâs stability.
New York has leaned heavily on its depth early in the season, but Brown hasnât shied away from how central Anunoby is to what they want to do. The Knicks acquired him to be a lineup-defining piece: a switchable defender who never forces offense, fits seamlessly next to stars, and raises the baseline of any five-man group heâs in.
That reliability is exactly what makes the uncertainty around his hamstring so difficult to absorb.
The Road Ahead: Urgency Meets Caution
The Knicks donât play again until Mondayâironically, in a rematch against Miamiâgiving Anunoby a brief window to recover. But hamstring injuries are tricky, and New York knows the worst thing they can do is rush him back. Given Anunobyâs importance to their long-term ceiling, caution is almost guaranteed.
For now, Townsâ 39-point outburst and Shametâs 30-point second half may quiet immediate concerns. Josh Hartâs triple-double and the teamâs ânext man upâ approach kept New York afloat on a chaotic night. But nobody inside the organization is pretending the formula is sustainable without Anunoby for long.
As coach Mike Brown put it after the win:
âItâs about the next man up⦠If we stay within our standard, good things will happen.â
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