New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby missed their game against the Golden State Warriors on Monday and is expected to miss even more time after his surgically repaired elbow burst, making it difficult to perform at the level expected of him . The news sparked increased concern from NBA fans on social media.
But the good news for the team is that the test carried out on the former NBA champion (Toronto/2019), acquired by the Knicks in a trade late last year, showed only inflammation and no new injuries.
No return date, however, was specified for Anunoby, leaving fans to speculate on the subject. Here’s what some of them wrote on X (formerly Twitter):
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@CarlosCool25 wrote: oh, Thibs is about to trade him ASAP
@jbondwagon wrote: Oh no. Thibs doesn’t want to hear these words. Thibs wants players who can play heavy minutes and play through pain
@80sBabyATL86 wrote: Another L for the knicks
@ASG_0825 wrote: One of my biggest concerns when the trade happened. No one remembers the fact that the year Toronto won the Chip in 2019. He wasn’t available for the entirety of the playoffs. SMH.
OG Anunoby a valuable piece for the New York Knicks
The absence of OG Anunoby due to elbow inflammation is a major blow to the New York Knicks, as the seven-year NBA veteran has become a key part of their rotation since arriving via trade in December 2023.
In the 17 games he played with the Knicks, all of which he started in, New York went 15-2 while averaging 14.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 35.2 minutes of play.
His race was blocked by elbow injury that he had surgery in February and recently had a flare-up, making him banned for the time being.
But his presence has nonetheless had a huge impact on the Knicks and their current campaign, especially on the defensive side.
It was something that New York coach Tom Thibodeau highlighted when they traded OG Anunoby and Precious Achiuwa to the Toronto Raptors in December for a package that included RJ Barrett, Malachi Flynn, Immanuel Quickley and a second-round pick.
Thibodeau said, as reported by Sports Illustrated:
“We feel like we’re scoring a lot, but we need to step up our defense.”
OG Anunoby helped the Knicks win three in a row since returning from his operation on March 12. During that stretch, he averaged 9.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, two assists, 1.3 steals and one block in 32.6 minutes.
The Knicks are currently fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 41-27 record. They will next face the reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets on the road on Thursday.
