Knicks forward OG Anunoby was sidelined for Monday’s matchup against the Houston Rockets, marking his first absence since sustaining what the team is calling a sprained right foot in Saturday’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Head coach Tom Thibodeau described the injury as a “mild sprain” and said the team will monitor Anunoby’s response to treatment before determining his availability for Tuesday’s second leg of a back-to-back in Toronto against the Raptors.
“We’ll see how he responds to the treatment,” Thibodeau said ahead of tipoff on Monday. “It would be premature to say.”
Anunoby went down 90 seconds into the second half against the Lakers, his right foot appearing to give out as he planted in transition. He gingerly walked to the sideline before limping to the locker room, and the Knicks officially ruled him out for the remainder of the game shortly after.
Thibodeau confirmed Anunoby underwent an MRI and categorized him as day-to-day.
How do the Knicks replace their defensive anchor?
“It’s part of it,” Thibodeau said. “Next guy get in there and get the job done.”
Thibodeau turned to Precious Achiuwa, inserting the reserve forward into the starting lineup in place of Anunoby, who had been averaging 16.4 points per game — including 20.8 over his last five games — before the injury.
The Knicks acquired Anunoby in a blockbuster Dec. 30, 2023 trade that sent Immanuel Quickley, R.J. Barrett, and a second-round pick to the Raptors.
They then re-signed him to a five-year, $212.5 million deal — the richest contract in franchise history — to build what they hope is an elite perimeter defense fueled by Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart as disruptors.
Anunoby’s absence, however, puts additional strain on a Knicks roster already navigating depth concerns.
Hart, for example, could see both a minutes increase and a slight role shift in Anunoby’s absence.
Last season, Hart led the NBA in minutes played during Anunoby’s month-and-a-half-long absence due to an elbow injury, though Randle also sustained a season-ending shoulder injury on the same day Anunoby left the rotation, putting additional strain on the roster.
This season, Hart already ranks second in total minutes behind Bridges, the league leader in time on the floor.
“I’m second? I’m disappointed I’m not first,” Hart told The Daily News ahead of Monday’s tipoff. “So we’ll see if we can switch that up.”
Hart said nothing changes with Anunoby out due to injury.
“Not a damn thing,” he told The News. “I play my game how I play my game.”
Still, Hart acknowledged that no single player can fully replace what Anunoby brings on defense.
“Nah, I don’t think any one person can fill the void if ‘Kal, OG, KAT [Karl-Anthony Towns] or JB [Jalen Brunson] are out,” Hart said. “That’s gotta be something we fill by committee.”
The Knicks will find out just how deep their committee runs as they navigate life without their defensive anchor — starting with a tough back-to-back in Toronto on Tuesday.
BIG MITCH TAKING CONTACT
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson is officially cleared for takeoff.
The team’s medical staff gave Robinson the green light for contact drills on Monday, marking a significant step in his recovery. The rim-protecting big man will begin taking contact in practice this week as he works toward his long-awaited return.
“Obviously there’s a number of steps for him to go through,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said ahead of tipoff against the Houston Rockets on Monday. “The next step is the contact part of practice. So just get going with that.”
Robinson has not played since undergoing surgery for a stress fracture in his left ankle, suffered in Game 1 of the Knicks’ second-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers in early May.
It was his second stress fracture to the same ankle — and subsequently, his second procedure — last season alone. The initial injury occurred during a Dec. 8, 2023 matchup against the Boston Celtics, forcing him to miss more than three months before returning for the playoffs.
Despite the lengthy layoff, Robinson has remained engaged, maintaining a lean frame throughout his rehab process.
He walked through the Knicks’ locker room pregame on Monday, once again shirtless — his new routine — showing off his maintained conditioning.
Asked if he would play against the Rockets, Robinson cracked a grin.
“Wait for the injury report to come out,” he joked, as teammates nearby chimed in: “He’s questionable.”
The Knicks have felt Robinson’s absence, particularly after trading Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the blockbuster deal for Karl-Anthony Towns.
Towns thrived alongside rim-protecting, perennial Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert in Minnesota, and the Knicks believe Robinson can provide a similar defensive presence next to their newest All-Star.
His rebounding is undeniable. Robinson averaged a league-best 4.6 offensive rebounds per game last season, anchoring the Knicks’ dominance on the glass.
His return won’t be immediate — Thibodeau and the medical staff will be cautious with his workload — but the countdown is officially on.
And for a Knicks team poised to make a playoff push, getting their defensive anchor back couldn’t come at a better time. With three days of rest — and extra practice time — looming ahead of Saturday’s matchup against the Boston Celtics, then the weeklong All-Star break looming from Feb. 13-19, Robinson’s return could be the addition some were hoping the Knicks would find on the trade market.