The Cleveland Cavaliers tied up the Eastern Conference semifinals series against the Detroit Pistons at two wins apiece on Monday, a development that spells good news for both the New York Knicks and OG Anunoby’s injury recovery.
Although Anunoby is reportedly dealing with only a mild tweak/strain in his right hamstring, the additional one-week break before the Eastern Conference Finals gives the 3-and-D star enough time to get 100% healthy for the next round.
According to SNY’s Ian Begley, Anunoby is a lock to play Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against either the Pistons or the Cavaliers.
“OG Anunoby will play in Game 1. I feel very comfortable saying that, just because of where this thing was in the day or two days after it happened,” Begley said on Monday.
OG Anunoby Injury Update
Last week, Begley reported that the Knicks sat out Anunoby in Games 3 and 4 against the Philadelphia 76ers as a precautionary measure, not due to a severe injury.
“The general feeling on Anunoby’s hamstring strain? Optimism,” said the Knicks insider. “He is considered day-to-day. But he’s not day-to-day, as in ‘he’s really out for 10 days.’ Anunoby is truly day-to-day.
“Based on conversations earlier Thursday, I think people on all sides of the injury believe Anunoby’s absence will be counted in days and not weeks.”
The Knicks also got encouraging words on the OG Anunoby injury from sports medicine specialist Dr. Jesse Morse.
“There’s a good chance that OG Anunoby, returning from a game 1 hamstring strain, could potentially safely return in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, which would start a week from tomorrow,” Morse wrote on X.
Anunoby averaged 21.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.1 blocks on shooting splits of 62/54/81 before going down with a hamstring injury last Wednesday.
Knicks Await Cavs or Pistons
The Eastern Conference Finals are slated to start on May 19, giving Anunoby a little more than a week to make a full recovery from his mild hamstring strain.
The Knicks are expected to start as betting favorites regardless of which team faces them in the East Finals, and for good reason. Mike Brown’s team is playing arguably the best basketball of any team in the playoffs, notching up its seventh consecutive win with a 144-114 blowout win in Game 4 on Sunday. In the process, the Knicks became the fourth team in NBA history to close out two series by 30+ points, following their 51-point Game 6 win over the Atlanta Hawks in the opening round.
During their seven-game winning streak, the Knicks have decimated their opponents by an average margin of 26.4 points, while shooting 54.8% from the field and 43.2% from three. Their scorching run has catapulted them to the status of overwhelming favorites to represent the East in the 2026 NBA Finals.
The Knicks are four wins away from ending their 26-year NBA Finals drought.
Knicks Get Good News Amid OG Anunoby Injury Absence