The New York Knicks captured a thrilling victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
New York pushed its series lead to 2-0. The Knicks are now gearing up to hit the road for Game 3 in Philadelphia.
On the Sixers side, there is still uncertainty over star big man Joel Embiid.
Embiid, 32, missed Game 2 with an ankle sprain. The Sixers, despite being without their best player, kept the game close throughout. But there’s no denying Philadelphia is an entirely more potent team when Embiid is in the lineup.
The Knicks are now dealing with some injury trouble of their own.
Star forward OG Anunoby incurred a right hamstring strain in the final minutes of Wednesday’s win.
ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported Anunoby is day-to-day and will receive treatment around the clock in hopes of being cleared to return to the court as quickly as possible.
But for now, it appears the Knicks will be without their two-way engine for at least a game or two.
The good news is New York holds a comfortable 2-0 series lead. It has an opportunity to win these semifinals with a pair of wins in Philadelphia in Games 3 and 4.
New York Knicks Reveal Injury Report
The Knicks are preparing for a critical Game 3. A win gives them a commanding 3-0 lead and virtually clinches a trip to the conference finals. A loss reopens the door for Philadelphia and gives it an opportunity to tie up the series heading back to New York.
GettyPhiladelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid dribbles the ball in a game against the Knicks. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
That’s a scenario the Knicks want to avoid desperately.
Given Anunoby’s injury and its potential severity, the Knicks could be without their star forward for the remainder of the second round. If New York enters Game 5 without a lead in the series and Anunoby is still sidelined, talk about some enormous pressure.
For now, the focus is on Game 3. Ahead of Friday’s contest against the Sixers, the Knicks released the following injury report:
- OG Anunoby (G/F): questionable, right hamstring strain
- Josh Hart (F): questionable, left thumb sprain
- Mitchell Robinson (C): probable, illness
Can N.Y. Continue Hot Stretch?
The Knicks are enjoying one of the most triumphant playoff stretches in franchise history.
After falling behind 2-1 in the first round against the Atlanta Hawks, the Knicks responded with four consecutive blowout wins entering Wednesday’s Game 2 against Philadelphia, outscoring Atlanta by 135 points during that stretch.
Their dominance was even more staggering over the last three games entering Game 2 of the second round, where New York posted a combined plus-119 margin, the highest point differential ever recorded across a three-game span in NBA playoff history.
The Knicks fell back to Earth some in last night’s win over the Sixers. After winning Game 1 by a whopping 39 points, New York was given much more resistance by Philadelphia in every facet of the game in Game 2.
New York received key production from star point guard Jalen Brunson (26 points, six assists), Karl-Anthony Towns (20 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists) and Mikal Bridges (18 points, five rebounds). In 37 minutes before he strained his hamstring, Anunoby was also impactful, scoring 24 points on 9-for-17 shooting.
The Knicks are destined to be without Anunoby for Game 3 and perhaps a lot longer.
Winning Game 3 would deliver ideal breathing room for the Knicks as they manage an injury to their star forward.
New York Knicks Announce Official Injury Report for Game 3 vs. 76ers