The New York Knicks' Game 2 win over the Sixers on Wednesday had an OG Anunoby-sized shadow over it after the wing exited late in the fourth quarter with an apparent leg injury. Roughly 14 hours later, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that it's a right hamstring strain and that OG will be "day-to-day." Those two things typically don't go together.
If it's a strain, it's hard not to think that Anunoby will miss at least a week, though he is listed as questionable for Game 3 in Philadelphia on Friday. He shouldn't play in that one, and probably shouldn't be out there for Game 4, regardless of what happens tomorrow. It's better to be safe than sorry.
There hasn't been a report about what kind of strain it is, but considering the optimism of Charania's report, you have to think it's a Grade 1. Even then, players typically miss one to two weeks. While that's as encouraging as hamstring injuries can get, it's still not day-to-day.
Maybe Anunoby will truly miss only a few days, returning on Sunday, but don't get your hopes up about that. You can't assume that you'll see him again in this series. Hamstring injuries are tricky, and the Knicks don't want to put him out there too soon and risk re-aggravating it, which could cause him to miss an extended period of time.
New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby has been diagnosed with right hamstring strain and will be day to day, sources tell ESPN. Anunoby is the Knicks second-leading scorer this postseason at 21.4 points per game. He is listed questionable for Game 3 on Friday against Philadelphia. pic.twitter.com/q1zLXpbRkr
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 7, 2026
Knicks dodge serious OG Anunoby injury, but it's still concerning
Anytime a player is dealing with a hamstring injury, it's concerning. Look at Luka Dončić, who suffered a Grade 2 strain at the beginning of April and is still out. Anunoby dealt with the same injury in the second round of the playoffs two years ago and returned in Game 7, but could barely get up and down the court. He wasn't out there for long.
All things considered, if it is a Grade 1, that's the best-case scenario. It also helps that the Knicks took care of business in the first two games of the series, lessening the pressure on Anunoby to return before he's ready. It'd be preferable if the series doesn't return to New York for Game 5.
The more time that OG has to recover, the better, so if he's not out there again for the rest of the series, that wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing. The Knicks will want him as healthy as possible for the conference finals, assuming that's where they will end up.
We don't know what will happen yet, but don't expect to see Anunoby sprinting up and down the floor again tomorrow, or even a couple of days after that.
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