OG Anunoby and Tyrese Maxey, available for Knicks vs. 76ers

Believe it or not, the day has finally come!

THE New York Knicks will welcome the Philadelphia 76ers Tuesday for the second time in three days after their defeat on Sunday… but they could make a difference in the starting lineup after spending the last month and changing in the shelves.

Basketball insider Shams Charania reported early Monday that “OG Anunoby is close,” citing the timetable the Knicks initially gave the forward for his return to the court following elbow surgery in early February. All around

Just hours after Charania wrote that Anunoby would “be back on the court over the next week,” the announcer dropped the bomb by announcing that OG’s impending return would take place during Tuesday’s game against the Sixers.

“Knicks forward OG Anunoby – out since Jan. 27 with an elbow injury – is expected to return as early as Tuesday against the 76ers,” Charania reported. “He should be upgraded due to the injury report.”

And that’s precisely what the Knicks did a few hours later by submitting their final pregame. injury report at the NBA offices. As of this writing, OG Anunoby is listed as “questionable” to play against Philly, with Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson the only Knicks ruled out for Tuesday’s game.

Just for context, Jalen Brunson was injured two weekends ago, missed a game, was considered questionable to play Friday against Orlando, and he found himself in the starting lineup at the time. Feel free to enter OG Anunoby for tonight’s match in any of the starting slots, folks.

Speaking after practice on Monday, head coach Tom Thibodeau seemed excited about OG’s chances of making a return today.

“[Anunoby] is very close,” Thibodeau said. “I feel good seeing the way he’s progressing, everything he’s been allowed to do. He made contact. He followed the training. His conditioning is good. We are hopeful. »

Thibodeau explained that Anunoby simply followed “normal protocol” for his recovery from surgery and that the final marker for OG to be cleared is to “go back to the doctor to make sure he approves of it as well.” .

Regarding New York’s opponent today, Philadelphia should also welcome back one of its starters, All-Star point guard Tyrese Maxey. He entered the concussion protocol a few days ago and he wasn’t released in time for Sunday’s game (he did travel with the team, though), but he’ll be ready to go Tuesday, according to Adrian Wojnarowski.

“Tyrese Maxey has cleared concussion protocol and will return against the Knicks on Tuesday, sources tell ESPN,” Woj reported. “Maxey has missed four straight games per protocol.”

The Sixers will still be without former MVP and big man Joel Embiid, who hopes to return before the end of the regular season but isn’t there yet.

“That’s the plan,” Embiid said journalists on the last day of February, almost two weeks ago. “Obviously everything has to go well, down to being healthy and being as close as I’m supposed to be.”

The center began doing on-field workouts while trying to come back from knee surgery, according to Katie Georges from ESPN, but he isn’t expected to play until April at the earliest, according to Shams Charania.