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New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau hinted that OG Anunoby could make his return from elbow surgery in their upcoming road trip.
“They can travel,” Thibodeau said, referring to Anunoby, Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson. “Hopefully, OG gets cleared and should be able to play.”
The Knicks will embark on a four-game West Coast trip beginning on Thursday, March 14, against Trail Blazers at Portland. They will also face the Sacramento Kings (March 16) and the Golden State Warriors (March 18). The road trip winds up in Denver against the defending champion Nuggets on March 21.
Anunoby missed his 18th game on Sunday, March 10, during the Knicks’ first home-and-home meetings against the Philadelphia 76ers.
But Anunoby has been a full participant in the Knicks practices experiencing no setback. He’s just waiting for the doctor’s clearance which could come soon.
Anunoby instantly became the anchor of the Knicks’ defense when he joined them in January via a midseason trade from Toronto. His arrival turned the Knicks’ deadlast defense in December (123.1 defensive rating) to the league’s best in January (104.4 defensive rating).
They zoomed to a 14-2 record in January with Anunoby registering plus-252, the most for any NBA player in his first 14 games with a new team since play-by-play was first tracked in 1996-1997, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.
Anunoby averaged 15.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.1 blocks while shooting 51.6% from the field. His seamless fit has been buoyed by his 40.4% shooting on catch-and-shoot 3s. He’s particularly adept from the right corner, shooting a staggering 48%, nearly 9% above the league average (39.2%), per Statmuse.
OG Anunoby Excited to ‘Go on Another Run’
Anunoby’s imminent return has generated excitement not only from the Knicks fan base but also from the player himself.
“Yeah, for sure [I’ll be back before the playoffs], hopefully,” Anunoby told reporters via SNY on February 20. “Just following the doctors’ orders, following the medical staff, just progressing day by day. I’m feeling better and better every day. So, yeah. I want to be back as soon as possible.
I’m definitely excited to get back. I think the whole team is excited to play together again and go on another run.”
Anunoby’s absence, which coincided with Randle’s, has slumped the Knicks to an 8-9 record entering Sunday’s matchup against the 76ers.
Can Julius Randle Return to All-Star Form?
While Anunoby’s return is imminent, Randle’s return date remains with no clarity. And if he returns, former Knicks general manager Scott Perry raised a level of concern.
“Randle had missed all of the offseason with ankle surgery and we saw how long it took him to get back acclimated to start the season,” Perry said on the “NBA Today” on March 5. “There were calls for him to be traded because he started so slowly. The same thing happened in my last year in New York. He got injured in the last five games of the regular season after having a fantastic regular season and struggled in the playoffs because he never could get his rhythm back exactly. So that is going to be key here for the Knicks that he gets back to get that.”
Randle played through his ankle sprain and it affected his play in the playoffs. But the Knicks still reached the second round, pushing eventual Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat to six games despite Randle shooting just 41.1% from the field and a horrendous 28.1% from deep.
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