In his second game back after recovering from elbow surgery, Knicks forward OG Anunoby seemed to aggravate that right elbow issue during the first half of Thursday’s win over Portland, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Anunoby grimaced and appeared irritated by the elbow a few times after that, but remained in the game and downplayed concerns in his post-game media session.
“It’s just sore. Nothing really happened. Just went for a ball. And it hurt randomly, but it’s fine,” Anunoby said, adding that he anticipates playing on Saturday in Sacramento. “… It’s not even pain tolerance. This is just a random thing.”
Head coach Tom Thibodeau also didn’t come off as overly worried about Anunoby’s condition when he spoke to reporters after the game.
“There’s gonna be some times where there’s gonna be soreness. He played through it,” Thibodeau said. “He was fine. (The doctor) looked at him. There’s gonna be times where he gets hit and you just try to keep going. So we’ll see where he is.”
Keeping Anunoby healthy will be a priority down the stretch for the Knicks, who have an incredible +25.2 net rating during his 565 minutes on the court since he was acquired from Toronto in December. The three-and-D stalwart is listed as questionable for Saturday’s contest vs. the Kings, Bondy notes (via Twitter).
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- In a separate story for The New York Post, Bondy spoke to three surgeons about Anunoby’s injury. Those outside experts suggested that lingering pain is normal so soon after the procedure, and while it’s manageable, that pain may take a while to go away if the elbow isn’t rested. “He needs to shoot, he needs to practice, but at the same time, he needs to rest,” Dr. Leon Popovitz, the co-founder of New York Bone & Joint, told Bondy. “But he’s a professional athlete, he needs to get out there. This is probably going to be something he feels the next few weeks.”
- Trade deadline acquisition Alec Burks played a season-low 4:18 on Thursday and didn’t see the floor at all in the second half. That was a basketball decision and not an injury-related one, Bondy writes for The Post. Burks has shot just 31.3% from the field and has more turnovers than assists since rejoining the Knicks, so his spot in the rotation going forward looks tenuous.
- After being on a minutes restriction in his first three games back from a knee contusion, Jalen Brunson had that restriction lifted on Thursday and made the most of it, racking up 45 points in 38 minutes in New York’s win over the Blazers, per Bondy at The Post.
- Isaiah Hartenstein‘s minutes limit remains in place, Bondy notes within the same story. The big man continues to start at center but has averaged a modest 21.2 MPG in his past 10 contests. Thibodeau isn’t 100% sure how long that restriction will last. “He’s feeling a lot better as well, so that’s the positive,” Thibodeau said of Hartenstein. “Obviously, getting OG has added a lot. So now Precious (Achiuwa) goes more to the backup five. And then we still have Jericho (Sims). So we feel good about that.”
The Grimes trade is beginning to hurt. That was one we didn’t need to do. Bogs is the new Fournier and Burks looks like he’s playing in a pick up game at the local Y.
Yeah, I liked it at first but Bricks and Bogus are clearly cooked.
I’m hoping Bojan gets it turned around but Burks is pretty much what we all thought he was. The next time Burks passes the ball with be the first time. Even in the game above where he played four minutes, he still jacked up five shots.
On the other end of it, Grimes has been horrible in limited duty for the Pistons.
Burks is playing 14 mins. He’s a body that knows the system. He’s not here to save the day. Try and keep up here. Plus he’s a career 40% 3PT shooter. Better he’s off now. With everyone healthy. Burks might not even get mins.
Bojan is the guy we need offense from. I’d say give them more time. They will come around. With everyone playing. They will get better looks. Patience, we just need to be ready for the playoffs.
I’d say be careful with OG, Jalen, Hartenstein. No need to burn them now. Please. Tonight’s gm is pivotal to me. Need this one for a 3-1 road trip.
Still up in the air about the trade. Liked it at first, especially getting BB. Looks like he’s struggling though with going from key part of an offence to second unit contributor.
Stlll, Grimes to me is like Toppin. Young guy with some potential, but really didn’t move the needle even though Knicks fans loved him. The fact that they got a much more established player, didn’t have to give up a first and now have a much higher AAV contract to pick up and trade in the offseason still makes the deal a break even at worst.
PS – Grimes has played six games for the Pistons and has shot 21% from floor. Boji is shooting 40% from the floor and averaging more than twice the PPG as Grimes is since the deal.
Bojan was off tonight. Still looked better. 9 pts, 5 reb in 24 mins. Burkes 18 mins 12 pts.
Both looked better tonight. In a game we needed. OG did not play well. This was a gd team win. Kings are a good team.
The DET trade certainly didn’t need to happen. It wore too many hats from the start, particularly for a deadline deal where targets are best kept narrow and focused. NYK FO had made a series of excellent moves starting at last year’s deadline, and perhaps got full of themselves. Unlike Hart, DiV and Anunoby though, BB, the principal here, is an older player, and one that would be asked to significantly change his role not just from his current DET role, but from the one he played his entire career.
Burks I still think was a good deadline addition as insurance, but one we could have gotten in a more typical deadline deal for a single 2nd round pick. Whether the NYK need Grimes next year or not, they’re certainly not replacing him for the 4 mm a year he’ll be making.