The New York Knicks were already without forward OG Anunoby for an 18-game stretch during the 20223-24 NBA season because of an elbow injury. He underwent surgery to remove a loose particle from his right shooting elbow, leaving a huge void in New York’s lineup.
Anunoby was able to make his return last week, March 12th, against the Philadelphia 76ers. He picked up right where he left off, providing the team with another outlet and shooter and his patented suffocating defense.
Unfortunately for Anunoby and the Knicks, something happened in their next game against the Portland Trail Blazers. He didn’t look right as he seemingly aggravated something in his surgically repaired elbow.
Anunoby was in the lineup for the team’s game against the Sacramento Kings on Saturday night but was ruled out for their contest on Monday against the Golden State Warriors. According to NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, that won’t be the only game Anunoby misses.
“I’m told that OG Anunoby’s going to be out more than just tonight…that right elbow’s flared up again. They need it to calm down. How long he’s out’s unclear. But it’s certainly a concern for Knicks…They don’t know status of Randle moving forward…” Wojnarowski said on ESPN’s NBA Countdown, via New York Basketball on X.
That is a brutal blow for the Knicks, as they are one of the best teams in the NBA with Anunoby in the lineup. He has played 17 games for the team and they are 15-2; without him, New York is only 10-10 after defeating the Warriors on Monday night.
He has been everything the Knicks were hoping for since acquiring him from the Toronto Raptors. Anunoby has a plus/minus ratio of +297, setting records in that category along the way. His defense has been spectacular as well, holding opponents to 35 percent shooting as the closest defender.
The Knicks’ next game will be Thursday night against the Denver Nuggets, and Anunoby isn’t expected to play according to head coach Tom Thibodeau. They will return home to New York after that for games against the Brooklyn Nets and Detroit Pistons on Saturday and Monday.
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