Knicks’ OG Anunoby Out for G3 vs. Pacers with Hamstring Injury; Brunson Questionable

The New York Knicks didn’t have OG Anunoby for the fourth quarter of their Game 2 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday after he suffered a hamstring injury, and they reportedly won’t have him for Friday’s Game 3 either.

https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1788683320294781162 of The Athletic and Stadium reported the forward will miss the upcoming contest because of a left hamstring strain.

https://twitter.com/IanBegley/status/1788683118976680008 of SNY noted Jalen Brunson is considered questionable with a foot injury.

This comes after https://twitter.com/sny_knicks/status/1788608735616635210 reported “late Wednesday night there was pessimism internally about Anunoby’s availability for Game 3 on Friday. That pessimism remained earlier Thursday morning, as Anunoby’s sore hamstring is feared to be more than just a cramp.”

It was obvious at the moment that something was bothering the forward when he seemingly lost control of the ball on a transition opportunity and immediately grabbed at his hamstring.

He limped off the floor and did not return, which was a blow for the Knicks considering he was one of the best players on the floor in Game 2. He finished with 28 points, four rebounds and three assists while shooting 10-of-19 from the field and 4-of-7 from three-point range.

It wasn’t the only injury concern, as Brunson spent extended stretches of the first half in the locker room with a foot injury before returning in the second half and spearheading the 130-121 victory to take a 2-0 series lead.

The Knicks are already playing without Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson and Bojan Bogdanović and aren’t exactly deep even if Anunoby and Brunson are fully healthy.

Precious Achiuwa and Miles McBride were the only ones to play more than one minute off the bench in Wednesday’s win, and they combined for 12 points. That was an offensive explosion compared to Game 1, when the New York bench managed three total points even with Robinson playing.

Anunoby has been a significant boost on both ends of the floor for a Knicks team dealing with so many injuries in the playoffs. He has averaged 16.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.1 blocks and 1.0 steals while shooting 39.5 percent from deep through six postseason contests.

The Eastern Conference’s No. 2 seed will be even thinner when he can’t take the floor, which makes the 2-0 cushion he built through the first two games at home all the more important as the series progresses.