The New York Knicks have eight games remaining on their regular-season schedule. They currently sit fourth in the Eastern Conference. However, they are still unsure about the potential availability of Julius Randle and OG Anunoby, who are both dealing with injuries.
Unfortunately for Knicks fans, head coach Tom Thibodeau has no specific timeline for when either of his stars will return to the rotation. When asked about Anunoby during a pregame press conference on Saturday, he noted how the team is taking things day by day.
“We just deal with reality,” Thibodeau said. “You deal with it day-to-day. When he’s strong enough, he gets out there,” said Thibodeau when asked whether Anunoby would return from an elbow injury this season.
Thibodeau had a similar response when asked about Randle’s potential return.
“Just keep doing what he’s doing, day-to-day,” Thibodeau said. “You never know when it turns. That’s basically the approach we take.”
Both Randle and Anunoby are key parts of the Knicks rotation. Randle is a core part of Thibodeau’s offensive strategy. Anunoby was acquired to help contain the best forwards in the NBA once the postseason began.
According to NBA insider Shams Charania, who appeared on Monday’s episode of FanDuel TV’s “Run It Back,” Anunoby looks more likely to return before the playoffs.
“These are serious losses for the Knicks,” Charania said. “…OG Anunoby has been out since March 16. Inflamed elbow. The hope has been…When is he going to wake up feeling better? With Julius Randle, it’s a little more precarious. He’s been out since January. We’re already into April, and he still has not done anything more than controlled contact with that dislocated shoulder…For the Knicks, it’s really a wait-and-see approach. It seems that OG Anunoby is more likely than Randle at this point.”
The Knicks have done a fantastic job of remaining competitive throughout an injury-ravaged season. However, without Randle and Anunoby in the rotation, it’s difficult to project how far the team can go during the playoffs.
At full strength, Thibodeau has a team capable of challenging for the conference title. It’s unlikely, though, that he has a fully healthy squad, at least not this season.
New York has made some big moves in recent months. They may need to wait until next season to see them pay dividends.
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