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Knicks’ Tom Thibodeau gets brutally honest on OG Anunoby, Josh Hart injury statuses for Game 7
Image credit: ClutchPoints

Knicks’ Tom Thibodeau gets brutally honest on OG Anunoby, Josh Hart injury statuses for Game 7

Originally posted on ClutchPoints  |  By Owen Crisafulli  |  Last updated 5/18/24

The New York Knicks are a pretty beat up team currently, and they are likely upset that they couldn’t close out the Indiana Pacers in Game 6 on Friday night. That has set the stage for a do-or-die Game 7 contest at Madison Square Garden, and while excitement for this game is high, there is some concern when it comes to injuries, especially for head coach Tom Thibodeau.

The Knicks were already hit hard by injuries coming into this series, but two of their top players in OG Anunoby and Josh Hart are now dealing with ailments that are keeping them off the court. Anunoby hasn’t played for New York since he suffered a strained hamstring back in Game 2 of this series, and Thibodeau provided a relatively murky update on his status for the team’s upcoming Game 7 action.

Via Ian Begley:

“Tom Thibodeau asked if there is a chance that OG Anunoby plays Sunday. ‘Whatever medical says,’ Thibodeau said. What are they saying? ‘Day to day,’ Thibodeau says.”

Hart, on the other hand, has been the Knicks iron man, but he was forced out of Game 6 early with an abdominal injury that was clearly impacting him for much of the night. While there’s more optimism that Hart will be able to play in Game 7, Thibodeau again opted to keep his cards close to his chest in regards to his status.

Tom Thibodeau’s Knicks injury updates aren’t exactly encouraging

Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan (11) drives to the basket against New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) and forward OG Anunoby (8) during the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Even with these injuries, the Knicks were already missing the likes of Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson, and Bojan Bogdanovic, and pretty much all of the guys who are still able to play are dealing with their own lingering ailments. Despite that, they still have a great opportunity to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals in Game 7.

If they intend on doing so, though, it would help to have at least one of Anunoby or Hart on the floor. It seems more likely that Hart would be able to play, as he was able to gut out his abdominal injury until the game was out of reach on Friday night. And it’s clear his teammates are expecting him to be on the floor, as Jalen Brunson offered a blunt response when asked about Hart’s Game 7 status.

The Knicks season comes down to whether or not they win this one game, so considering the stakes, Brunson is assuming that it would take something truly major to hold Hart off the floor. Isaiah Hartenstein doesn’t see it that way, though, as he believes that Hart is going to play in Game 7 unless his leg is falling off.

Hart has become a crucial piece of New York’s success on both sides of the ball, so having him healthy for this game would be a huge help. Thibodeau isn’t ready to make any final decisions when it comes to these guys and their injuries, but it’s safe to say the hope is that Hart can play, and that could be the difference between winning and losing this game for the Knicks.

This article first appeared on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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