The New York Knicks have a problem, and it’s a big one. Since acquiring OG Anunoby from the Toronto Raptors in December 2023, the Knicks are a stellar 22-13 in playoff games when he’s on the floor. But when he’s sidelined? That record drops to a concerning 8-12. Now, with the second-round series against the Philadelphia 76ers heating up, the star forward’s availability is suddenly in question—and it could derail New York’s championship push.
Anunoby limped off the court in the final minutes of the Knicks’ 108-102 Game 2 victory at Madison Square Garden. League sources have confirmed a right hamstring strain, and the team has listed him as day-to-day. He’s officially questionable for Game 3 at Philadelphia’s Xfinity Mobile Arena. That’s a massive blow, and not just because of the timing. Since joining the Knicks, New York is 110-54 in games Anunoby plays, compared to a shaky 27-24 when he’s out. His impact is undeniable—he poured in 18 points on 7-of-8 shooting in Game 2, adding 24 points, five rebounds, and four steals after averaging 21.5 points on 61% shooting from the field and a blistering 56.7% from three in the first round against Atlanta. Hamstrings are notoriously tricky, and rushing back is a dangerous gamble.
The mood in the locker room after the injury was surprisingly calm, but the concern is real. When asked if the budding chemistry between him and Anunoby might take a hit, Karl-Anthony Towns brushed it off. “I don’t have any plans of doing that, so I don’t really know,” he said. “We’ll regroup tomorrow, see what the whole situation is. Next man up—that’s really it.” If Anunoby can’t go, the remaining starters will have to shoulder the load. In Game 2, with Towns limited to 27 minutes, the other four starters all logged 37 or more minutes in the narrow six-point win. That kind of workload is unsustainable, but in a tight playoff series, there are no easy answers.
Anunoby appeared in 67 of the Knicks’ 82 regular-season games this year, but this hamstring issue threatens to disrupt their rhythm at the worst possible time. For a team with title aspirations, losing a two-way force like Anunoby—even for a game or two—could be the difference between advancing and an early exit.