The 14 games OG Anunoby played for the New York Knicks after the Dec. 30 trade were electric. There isn't another word to describe what it was like. New York's defense was suffocating. The offense flowed better. The Knicks were viewed as a serious contender.
Then Jan. 27 happened. In a game against the Heat, Julius Randle dislocated his shoulder, and OG Anunoby hurt his elbow. Anunoby missed a few games with elbow inflammation, but then this injury was changed to bone spur irritation. After the trade deadline, the Knicks reported that he had surgery to remove a loose bone fragment in his elbow.
New York fans were in despair. Mitchell Robinson had been out, Randle was sidelined, and Anunoby was set to miss an extended period. Without three starters, the Knicks have gone 7-9 and dropped to No. 5 in the East. Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, and Isaiah Hartenstein have also missed time.
With about five weeks left in the regular season, time is ticking for New York. Fans have started to wonder if the team will be at full strength before the playoffs again.
Luckily, on Thursday, Tom Thibodeau provided a very exciting Anunoby update.
OG Anunoby is going through contact drills and is playing five-on-five now, Tom Thibodeau said. Sounds like he's getting closer. Thibodeau said he's now day to day, but he hasn't been cleared to fully play yet.
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) March 7, 2024
Knicks' OG Anunoby nearing return to court after elbow surgery
That's huge news! New York has two more games this week, starting with Orlando on Friday. After that, Philadelphia will be in the city for two games at MSG, one on Sunday and the other on Tuesday. It isn't far-fetched to think that Anunoby could be back for one of the contests against the Sixers.
If that's the case, he'll have a month left of the regular season to get back in shape and prepare for the playoffs.
The Knicks will still be without Robinson and Randle, who are both expected to return before the end of the season. When Randle's back, the offense, especially Brunson, will get a boost. In the meantime, Anunoby will help New York hold things down on both ends of the floor, particularly on defense.