The New York Knicks have been blazing hot this playoffs. They took care of the Philadelphia 76ers relatively easily, and now they are doing the same to the Indiana Pacers. These games are being won without one of their All-Star starters, Julius Randle. However, with game three looming ahead, it seems they will be without another star.
This New York team has proven that their role players and bench have what it takes to get them the win. However, with another starter injured and their most important player labeled game-time decision, could this give the Pacers a chance to put a tally in the win column?
Knicks Lose Blazing Hot Player
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OG Anunoby has given this New York Knicks team a huge boost since being moved there during the trade deadline. Thanks to this move, the young, small forward now gets to experience a different style of basketball that Toronto has been lacking lately. He’s been a great help on defense and is also providing a barrage of points on the offensive side.
In game two against Indiana, Anunoby managed to put up 28 points for his team in just 28 minutes. He has been steady with stats in both the first series and this one. Unfortunately, he had to exit late in the game and did not return after. It has now been announced that he is suffering from a left hamstring strain and cannot play in game three.
Injuries Plaguing New York
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The list of player injuries continues to grow as this Knicks pushes for a Finals run. Randle has been out since early in the season. However, the team has had to add Mitchell Robinson, Bojan Bogdanovic, and now Anunoby to this list. Also, Jalen Brunson could be the next player on it, as he is a game-time decision. Losing Brunson could be the nail in the coffin if the Pacers can get it into gear.
As of right now, Brunson has right foot soreness. He was taken out in the first half of the game due to the injury but returned and played for the rest of it. The issue with this is that he could now be sitting out the entirety of game three.
Hopefully, Brunson’s injury doesn’t affect the Knicks like Jimmy Butler’s injury did for the Miami Heat. Butler chose to play the rest of a play-in game after being injured and had to sit for the rest of the playoffs, watching his team be ripped by the Boston Celtics. It seems like the Knick’s star guard should be in the clear from this, as his injury isn’t as severe.
Relying on the Supporting Cast
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With Anunoby out and Brunson out, maybe this team will need to lean on the rest of the Knicks to defeat Indiana. The key players for Friday will be Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo. These two guys have been providing New York with a large amount of firepower.
Hart is currently averaging 18.0 points per game. He has also been an absolute fiend on the board, leading his team with 12.8 rebounds per game. Furthermore, he is averaging a block and a steal every game. Hart has been a constant source of energy throughout the whole season and seems to turn up the heat whenever they need it most.
DiVincenzo has also been on a tear for the Knicks. He’s averaging 15.6 points per game, which is the most he’s averaged his entire playoff career by a large margin. Many believe DiVincenzo should have been a frontrunner for the MIP award, but due to him not meeting a requirement (by just a single game), he was not included in the race.
These two players will most likely be in charge of keeping their team afloat, with the starters going down one by one. Hopefully, Brunson can return to alleviate some of this pressure and try to cement the game-three win for the New York Knicks.
About the Author
Elizabeth is an avid watcher of all things sports. However, the Boston sports teams will always be her number one. Her favorite sport to watch is basketball, but she also enjoys professional wrestling, soccer, and baseball. You can find her on X @edellapiana1 to check out more content.
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