Knicks Given Life Ahead of Win-Or-Go Home Game 7

Ahead of a must-win Game 7 matchup of their Eastern Conference semifinal series with the Indiana Pacers at home, the injury-riddled New York Knicks are getting some critical role-player assistance.

The team has already lost center Mitchell Robinson (out after undergoing surgery for a left ankle stress injury), power forward Bojan Bogdanovic (out with season-ending surgeries to his left wrist and left foot), and All-Star power forward Julius Randle (out with a season-ending shoulder surgery of his own, albeit to his right shoulder).

Swingman Josh Hart incurred an abdominal strain during New York’s Game 6 blowout loss to the Pacers (which admirably strived to play through, but he couldn’t buy a bucket), and was listed as merely questionable to play for Game 7. Per Shams Charania of The Athletic, Hart is planning to play through the pain.

Forward OG Anunoby, meanwhile, perhaps the club’s most critical 3-and-D role player, has been sidelined since Game 2 of the Indiana series with a hamstring injury. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported Saturday that the 6-foot-7 vet has seen his status elevated from out to merely questionable, as corroborated by a recent pregame NBA injury report.

Now, it appears that Anunoby has officially seen his status finalized just in time for Sunday morning’s contest. He will happily suit up for Tom Thibodeau and co.

Anunoby has been individually plagued by ailments throughout his Knicks tenure, but when healthy, he’s been a huge part of the team’s winning ways. During the regular season, he played for just 23 of 51 contests. Across those bouts, he averaged 14.1 points on .488/.394/.791 shooting splits, 4.4 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 1.5 dimes, and one block a game. New York went 20-3 during those regular season meetings when the Indiana product played.

In the postseason, that charmed luck continued, as the Knicks have so far posted a 6-2 record with Anunoby in the lineup. In New York’s four games without him against the Pacers in this series, the team has gone just 1-3.

The Knicks, playing at home in Madison Square Garden, are mildly favored to pull off the victory, despite their rash of injury absences. DraftKings lists New York as -3 favorites to win the game and the series.

Anunoby’s old title-winning Toronto Raptors teammate Pascal Siakam has been working wonders with the Pacers (both were traded to New York and Indiana, respectively, earlier this season). Siakam, a two-time All-Star, has emerged as a vital two-way cog in Indiana’s machine. The 6-foot-8 power forward/center has been averaging 21.2 points on 53.8% shooting from the field, 7.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.5 blocks a night during the postseason. Anunoby will quite possibly be compelled to stop him.