The night of Saturday, February 1st, 2025 will be remembered forever in NBA circles for many reasons. That was the night LeBron James dropped a 33-point triple-double on perhaps his last trip to Madison Square Garden to snap New York’s five-game win streak. It was the night Bronny James Jr. heard his name chanted despite a sobering loss for Knicks fans, and scored a bucket in the final minute to the delight of the crowd. Most importantly, it was the night Luka Dončić was traded out of nowhere to the LA Lakers. The trade was arguably the most shocking in American sports history, and the Dončić/James pairing is mesmerizing for NBA fans to imagine.
However, for Knicks fans, this night was all about OG Anunoby. Their two-way star suffered a scary non-contact injury in the third quarter, making the game’s outcome trivial in the Garden. Anunoby limped to the locker room under his own power but appeared very worried about his lower right leg.
OG Anunoby non-contact injury…Prayers up.
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) February 2, 2025
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Knicks Season Depends on OG Anunoby’s Injury Result
Luckily, Knicks fans got a slight reprieve with the news that it was just a right foot sprain. Upon seeing the injury, every member of the NY faithful envisioned an Achilles tear or something similar, especially due to the odd nature of the non-contact play. However, while a foot sprain can only be considered good news, New York isn’t out of the woods yet.
Firstly, the severity of Anunoby’s foot sprain hasn’t been diagnosed yet. If it’s something mild, he could return after the All-Star break, but anything more serious could cost him months. With the season winding down, about 11 weeks away from the playoffs, an extended absence could be extremely damaging. Anunoby has also been an injury-prone player throughout his career. He has already suffered three separate injuries in his short Knicks tenure. This fact only increases the worry that he may not be the same again this season.
Lastly, New York’s PR communication regarding injuries has been shaky over the past couple of seasons. Anunoby himself had an odd extended absence in February with an elbow injury. If the 27-year-old cannot get to full strength in time for April, the Knicks championship hopes go directly out the window.
Anunoby is NY’s Third Most Valuable Player
After New York’s outstanding All-Star starting duo, Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, Anunoby is clearly their third most irreplaceable player. Offensively, OG is more of a cog in a five-out system. He’s a good spot-up shooter, drives closeouts well, and is a fantastic finisher above the rim. He’s essentially the perfect player to put around two elite scorers, but his defense is the difference-maker.
Anunoby is easily NY’s most versatile defender. He’s capable of guarding everything from quicker guards to monster centers and is also an incredible help defender. In last year’s six-game slugfest over Philadelphia, Anunoby both credibly checked Tyrese Maxey, one of the quickest guards in basketball and completely shut down Joel Embiid in several fourth quarters. The Indiana product is Tom Thibodeau’s answer against many of the best players in the East playoffs: Jayson Tatum, Paolo Banchero, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Additionally, one of Rose’s main selling points for this team was the defensive wing tandem of Anunoby and Mikal Bridges. Bridges has finally kicked it into gear on that end, but he’s better off guarding the opponent’s best guard, while Anunoby takes their best forward/center. This duo doesn’t work without both pieces, and their championship ceiling leaves with either being absent.
The Roster is Built Around the Starters
New York has chosen to be a top-heavy team, with five starters all making $18M or more. While a fine formula executed extremely well by Rose, it leaves the squad vulnerable if even one player goes down. The Knicks have been remarkably healthy despite the “minutes police” debate with Thibodeau, and Anunoby himself had played all 49 games until the injury.
For now, New York can withstand Anunoby’s absence with their culture and bench. They can make a depth trade or two, and the All-Star break comes at a perfect time. However, if Anunoby is worse off than the team is letting on, the Knicks are in a tough spot. Simply put, if NY doesn’t get Anunoby back to full strength by the postseason, they can kiss their title hopes goodbye.
Photo Credit: © Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
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