The New York Knicks were without OG Anunoby for Game 4 of their Eastern Conference Semifinal on Sunday against the Indiana Pacers, but his availability for Game 5 on Tuesday does not look any more promising.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that, while Anunoby was in Indianapolis with the Knicks for Games 3 and 4 getting treatment multiple times per day, “there hasnt’ been enough progress to think that his return is likely in Game 5 Tuesday.
“Now, after Game 5 on Tuesday there’s 2 days off before Game 6 Friday, so maybe there’s some hope there,” Wojnarowski added. “But the Knicks are going to have to continue win and try to put away this series without OG Anunoby.”
After suffering the injury during the second half of their Game 2 victory, Anunoby was sidelined for Game 3, which the Knicks dropped to see their series advantage halved at 2-1. Pacers forward Pascal Siakam put together a big night without Anunoby — the Knicks’ best defender —hounding him with 26 points in 31 minutes.
Anunoby has been the sparkplug that throttled the Knicks’ 2023-24 season into motion after he was acquired in December from the Toronto Raptors. Providing the 3-and-D presence that head coach Tom Thibodeau’s system needed, New York went 20-3 in the regular season when Anunoby played.
The issue was that the 26-year-old has encountered numerous injury issues since his arrival in New York. He had elbow surgery that sidelined him for six weeks before a bout with tennis elbow kept him out for an additional three weeks.
