Kofi Inkoom
OG Anunoby won’t be playing in Tuesday’s Game 5 against the Indiana Pacers due to a left hamstring injury, marking his third consecutive absence, the team announced.
Anunoby injured his hamstring in Game 2 against the Pacers and sat out Game 3 and Game 4. He’s been a key player, scoring 13 and 28 points in the first two games of the series and maintaining solid stats throughout the postseason with 16.4 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 40 minutes per game.
The Knicks have suffered losses in the last two games without him, despite starting Precious Achiuwa in his place. Anunoby’s next opportunity to return to action will be in Game 6 on Friday. Although he managed a pool workout over the weekend, he hasn’t started running again.
Teammates Jalen Brunson and Isaiah Hartenstein are not listed on the Knicks’ injury report and are good to go. For the Pacers, Tyrese Haliburton is questionable, but he’s likely to play given the current momentum of the series.
The Knicks have faced multiple injury setbacks, with Bojan Bogdanović out for the season due to foot surgery, Mitchell Robinson sidelined for six to eight weeks with a left ankle stress injury, and Julius Randle missing since January.
Despite these challenges, the Knicks have performed admirably in the playoffs and are just two victories away from reaching their first conference finals since 2000. The series is currently tied 2-2, and the next game will be at MSG, where the Knicks will try to take home court advantage.