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OG Anunoby #8 of the New York Knicks in action during Game Five of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on April 28, 2026 in New York City. The Knicks won 126-97.

The trip to Philadelphia felt different, even with the Knicks up 2-0. OG Anunoby’s late exit in Game 2 changed the mood around the series, and every warmup glance suddenly seemed to matter a little more.

Then a quick Jordan Clarkson line offers a sigh of relief to Knicks fans before Game 3.

Jordan Clarkson Offers Knicks Reassurance On OG Anunoby

GettyJordan Clarkson’s Hilarious Response to OG Anunoby Injury Questions

The injury news on Anunoby had already started to lean encouraging before tipoff. He was diagnosed with a right hamstring strain and labeled day-to-day after leaving late in the fourth quarter of New York’s 108-102 Game 2 win over Philadelphia.

He was first listed as questionable for Game 3, and there was reported optimism he could make it back in either Game 3 or Game 4. Still, the Knicks ruled him out for Game 3.

That set the stage for Clarkson’s pregame comment, and it landed because fans were looking for any sign that this was manageable.

Speaking to Cassidy Hubbarth before Game 3, as tweeted by New York Basketball on X, Clarkson said, “He’s all good. I got him.”

That answer mattered for more than one reason. Clarkson was one of the players expected to help absorb some of the rotation burden if Anunoby sat, along with Miles McBride and other bench pieces.

It also hit a nerve because Clarkson has been getting that “healer” label from fans lately, especially after a recent video went viral.

There was real reason to hope, too. Reports around the team called the strain minor, with one report describing it as “very, very minor.”

Knicks Show Their Depth Without OG Anunoby In Game 3

GettyNew York Knicks won Vs 76ers without OG Anunoby

This is why Game 3 mattered so much. Anunoby had been playing some of the best ball of the postseason, averaging 21.4 points per game entering the night while shooting 61.9 percent from the field and 53.8 percent from three. In Game 2 alone, he dropped 24 points before getting hurt.

Even Nick Nurse had to admit how sharp he looked. “OG’s been unbelievable… OG has been as good as I’ve ever seen him. He just keeps getting better and better,” Nurse said before Game 3. He added, “His shooting’s been great. His cutting game is great. You used to think, ‘Well, let’s force him inside the line and see what’s going to happen.’ Now he’s dunking on people and hitting that 17-footer. He’s been doing everything at a super-high level.”

Without him, the Knicks inserted Miles McBride into the starting lineup. It was not a perfect replacement, because nobody really replaces OG’s defense and steady scoring, but New York still found a way to win Game 3 without him. That is the kind of result that steadies a series.

Clarkson’s line looked even better after that. The Knicks survived the first game without Anunoby, and now the focus shifts to getting him back at the right time, not just the fastest time.