The New York Knicks received a good injury update before they tip off Game 1 of their first-round playoff series against the Pistons. Detroit plays physical, making the news that much better.
Ariel Hukporti tore his left meniscus in his first-ever NBA start on Feb. 26 and had surgery. There was a chance the rookie had already played in his final game of the season. It seemed that way, as Stefan Bondy of the New York Post had said earlier this month that it sounded like Hukporti wouldn't return for the playoffs. There hadn't been any substantial updates about the rookie.
On Friday, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic tweeted that Hukporti practiced, but nobody mentioned he had even returned.
Apparently Ariel Hukporti did practice today even though we never got an update on it and no one mentioned he returned all week.
— James L. Edwards III (@JLEdwardsIII) April 18, 2025
Questionable for tomorrow after meniscus surgery. I’d be shocked if Thibs threw a rookie into fire at any point after surgery but who knows anymore.
Hukporti was listed as questionable for New York's first playoff game against Detroit on Saturday, and shortly before tip-off, he was upgraded to active.
Ariel Hukporti upgraded to active for Knicks-Pistons Game 1
Hukporti hasn't played in a game in over seven weeks, so it's not like he's going to suddenly be in Tom Thibodeau's rotation after spending most of the season out of it. Everyone knows that Thibodeau doesn't typically trust young players, especially rookies. That's not going to change for a player coming back from an injury.
However, you can't understate how nice it is knowing Hukporti is on the bench as an option during the postseason, especially because of the kind of physicality the Pistons play with. Karl-Anthony Towns or Mitchell Robinson could find themselves in foul trouble, and the Knicks no longer have Jericho Sims on the bench. They do have Precious Achiuwa, but he's struggled at the five.
Hukporti had started to turn a corner when he got hurt. He played in back-to-back games on Feb. 20 and 21, before not playing on Feb. 23 against the Sixers. He started against the Sixers a few days later because Karl-Anthony Towns was out, and Robinson hadn't returned yet. Hukporti recorded a career-high eight points (4-of-5), two rebounds, and one block in 16 minutes before injuring his knee.
He could see some action in the postseason, but even if he doesn't, having him as part of the action (even if from the sideline) will be a valuable experience for Hukporti.