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Knicks' OG Anunoby injury update

The New York Knicks picked up a dominant 112-95 win over the Toronto Raptors on, but the victory was immediately overshadowed by a concerning development. Star forward OG Anunoby left the game in the second quarter with a left ankle injury and never returned.

With the NBA playoffs just around the corner, the Knicks’ injury front has once again cast a dark cloud over what should have been a celebratory evening.

Knicks’ OG Anunoby Injury

James L. Edwards III of The Athletic reported mid-game:

“OG Anunoby (left ankle) will not return tonight.” When pressed for more context, Edwards added: “I saw him tweak it but he kept playing. My guess is precaution but I don’t know that, obviously, for certain.”

The injury appeared to stem from an awkward fall over Scottie Barnes early in the second quarter.

Head coach Mike Brown addressed reporters after the game but offered little reassurance. When asked about Anunoby’s status, Brown said:

“Yeah, I haven’t talked to him. I know he tweaked his ankle, but I haven’t… I don’t even know which… I know he tweaked his ankle, but I have not talked to anybody about it yet.”

Before exiting, Anunoby managed just 15 minutes on the floor, finishing with two points on 1-of-4 shooting, five rebounds, and three assists.

Who Steps Up in OG’s Absence?

If Anunoby is sidelined, the Knicks’ defensive identity suffers a deep blow, and the facts support the claim. New York’s defensive rating without him this season is down to 112.3, a huge decrease that shows how crucial he is to the whole defensive setup Mike Brown is creating.

Mikal Bridges seems like the most suitable one to take over OG’s defensive duties, but expecting Bridges to shoulder the entire offensive and defensive burden time after time is a very big ask.

Josh Hart’s toughness can be a solution in some situations, but neither he nor Bridges are capable of imitating OG’s top-notch skill of switching onto guards, forwards, and stretch big men interchangeably.

The hard reality is that no one on this list duplicates what Anunoby does, and in a playoff scenario, that lack is several times more significant.

Playoff Implications Are Massive

​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ The stakes could only have been higher. Knicks are presently holding the third spot in the Eastern Conference with a 53-28 record.

NBA Playoffs will begin on April 18. So, we can say that New York has an extremely limited time, almost a week, for Anunoby to get back to the scene before Game 1.

At the moment, the Knicks’ best possible first-round opponent is the Toronto Raptors, a team they have totally dominated throughout the season, as evidenced by their 5-0 record against them.

In fact, even without OG, this on-paper scenario should be reasonably winnable for the Knicks. However, the main issue is what happens next – a probable second-round meeting with Boston Celtics, where defensive flexibility against Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum is going to be essential at leveling the playing field.

The absence of Anunoby for a considerable amount of time will not only disrupt Round 1 but may in fact cause the unraveling of the Knicks’ entire championship plan. This lineup was designed to score a deep run. And right now, their key two-way player who is still at the medical table with no clear return date, is the biggest reason for their predicament.

The coming two days of updates will be determining New York’s whole postseason ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌perspective.