When healthy in 2024, the New York Knicks have been arguably the best team in the NBA. They got off to a scorching hot start, winning 15 out of their first 17 games in the new year. Unfortunately, that success has been derailed in recent weeks by injuries.
The Knicks went an ugly 4-8 in February, losing seven of their last nine games. Without several key contributors for most of the month, the team struggled to stay afloat. Some nights, New York had only five healthy players on standard NBA contracts.
One of the players who has been sidelined for that duration is OG Anunoby. The last time we saw him on the court was January 27th against the Miami Heat, which is the last time we also saw Julius Randle in the lineup.
Without their starting forwards, the Knicks’ game plan on both sides of the court has been greatly impacted. Opponents are now throwing everything at NBA All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson, including the kitchen sink, daring his teammates to beat them.
Defensively, the team’s performance has fallen off as well. Losing Anunoby, one of the most effective defenders in the NBA with the ability to guard every position certainly hurts. When you add in Randle, Isaiah Hartenstein, Mitchell Robinson and Jericho Sims dealing with ailments as well, New York is not only left short-handed but undersized.
When can we expect to see some of these guys back in the lineup full-time? Head coach Tom Thibodeau provided a positive update on the status of Anunoby before the team’s game against the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night.
Per Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News, Thibodeau said Anunoby has been cleared to begin on-court activities. He is now allowed to shoot and dribble and ramp up his activity. However, he has not yet been cleared for contact, as that is the last hurdle he will need to clear.
That is encouraging for the Knicks, who need Anunoby back in the lineup. Teams have been taking advantage of their undersized wings, something that would disappear with him back in the mix.
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