Mike Brown says he has no update on OG Anunoby, who left the game with 2:31 remaining in 4th quarter due apparent to leg injury. Anunoby has been the most valuable Knick of this postseason to date.
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New York Knicks star OG Anunoby left Game 2 versus the Philadelphia 76ers and did not return to the game.
The New York Knicks won the game, but they left Madison Square Garden without a firm answer on OG Anunoby.
Knicks head coach Mike Brown did not provide an injury update when asked by reporters. Anunoby exited late in the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers with an apparent leg injury, according to SNY’s Ian Begley. Brown added that he had not yet spoken with the team’s medical staff.
“I haven’t talked to anybody, and it’s the same thing,” Brown said during a livestreamed press conference. “He looked like he was hopping. I haven’t talked to medical yet.”
That is not a diagnosis, but it is enough to matter for the Knicks. Anunoby has been one of New York’s most valuable postseason players, and his late exit came during a 108-102 Knicks win that gave them a 2-0 lead over the Sixers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Jalen Brunson led New York with 26 points, while Anunoby had 24 points, five rebounds, four steals and two assists before leaving, according to the New York Post.
Mike Brown says he has no update on OG Anunoby, who left the game with 2:31 remaining in 4th quarter due apparent to leg injury. Anunoby has been the most valuable Knick of this postseason to date.
Anunoby was subbed out with 2:30 left in the fourth quarter and did not return to the Knicks’ bench, Begley reported on X.
The injury appeared to happen after Anunoby cut to the basket and went up for a dunk attempt that was blocked by Paul George, according to the New York Post. He appeared to limp afterward, and the Knicks finished the game without him.
Mike Brown says he hasn’t talked to anyone about OG Anunoby yet. Knicks PR says they have no update on Anunoby.
That timing is what makes the update more significant. This was not a closing-minutes substitution in a blowout. The Knicks were trying to finish off a tight playoff game, and Anunoby has become one of Brown’s most trusted postseason pieces because he can guard across positions, space the floor and create offense without needing the ball every possession.
Knicks star Jalen Brunson was asked about Anunoby’s injury, too, and provided an equally ominous update: “I’ll cross that bridge when we get to it,” he said. “I don’t know too much.”
New York still closed the game, using a late run to beat Philadelphia and take control of the series. The Knicks ended the game on a 12-3 run after the Sixers had taken a 99-96 lead.
OG Anunoby got subbed out at 2:30 mark of fourth quarter and is not on the Knick bench. Knicks trying to close game up 5 with 1:00 to go
As of Brown’s postgame comments, the Knicks had not announced a specific injury for Anunoby. There was no official diagnosis, no return timeline and no confirmation that he would miss Game 3.
That distinction matters. The only firm update is that Anunoby left with an apparent leg injury and Brown had not yet received medical information. Anything beyond that would be speculation.
Still, the Knicks will need clarity quickly. Game 3 is scheduled for Friday night in Philadelphia, and the Sixers are already dealing with their own injury uncertainty after Joel Embiid missed Game 2 because of right ankle and hip injuries.
The Knicks have some cushion with a 2-0 series lead, but that cushion looks different if Anunoby is limited. Philadelphia has struggled to match New York’s physicality, but the Sixers still have shot creation with Tyrese Maxey and Paul George. Anunoby is one of the Knicks’ best answers for both.
Some odd parallels for Knicks and OG Anunoby. He hurt his left hamstring in Game 2 of the 2024 2nd round series vs. Pacers. Knicks won game, went up 2-0 in the series. OG didn’t play again until Game 7, which Knicks lost and he was hobbled.
We’ll see if Anunoby is injured again.
Anunoby’s value is not just that he is scoring more in the playoffs. It is that his scoring has come attached to elite defensive usefulness.
He averaged 16.7 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists during the 2025-26 regular season, according to ESPN. He also shot 48.4% from the field, giving the Knicks efficient offense without forcing him into a high-usage role.
His postseason production has jumped. Heavy’s player page noted that Anunoby averaged 21.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.2 blocks across six first-round games.
That is the version of Anunoby the Knicks have been getting in the playoffs: more scoring, more activity on the glass and high-impact defense. In Game 2 against Philadelphia, he added four steals, a major number in a game decided by six points.
If he is unavailable or limited, the Knicks lose their cleanest defensive matchup flexibility. Mikal Bridges can absorb more difficult wing assignments. Josh Hart can take on extra physical minutes. Brown could lean more heavily into smaller groups or ask Karl-Anthony Towns and the guards to survive more switches.
Erik Anderson is an award-winning sports journalist covering the NBA, MLB and NFL for Heavy.com. He also focuses on the trading card market. His work has appeared in nationally-recognized outlets including The New York Times, Associated Press , USA Today, and ESPN. More about Erik Anderson
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