In Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semi Finals, the New York Knicks looked like the clearly more dominant team throughout the game, but then, OG Anunoby reached for his hamstring, visablly in pain. This is when the entire mood in the building changed, because Knicks fans have witnessed the same story numerous times before.
The Timing Feels Too Familiar
In a second round series vs the Philadelphia 76ers, with a 2-0 lead, OG Anunoby suffered from the same type of hamstring injury that had Knicks fans heartbroken just 2 years ago. In the series vs the Indiana Pacers in the 2024 Playoffs, Anunoby left Game 2 with a left hamstring strain, forcing him to miss games 3-6 and eventually cost the Knicks the series in 7 Games.
This injury feels the exact same, the only difference is that the Knicks did not have multiple stars behind Jalen Brunson to support the loss of such a force. Anunoby suffered from a right hamstring strain with less than 3 Minutes in the 4th of Game 2, forcing him to leave the game.
The best part of all of this is that this strain is being considered minor, with the New York Knicks listing it as a day to day injury, with potential to return as early as Game 3, but the parallels to the 2024 season are impossible to ignore.
Why OG Anunoby Matters So Much For New York
OG Anunoby was a key piece in the New York Knicks securing the 3rd best record in the East this season. OG averaged 16.7 Points, 5.2 Rebounds and 2.2 Assists, showing his all around impact on the offensive end, but Anunoby thrives as a 2-way player, also averaging 1.6 Steals and 0.7 Blocks, demonstrating a perfect statline for a 2-way forward.
OG Anunoby does not only thrive as a 2-way player, he is also an effective scorer, shooting 58.1% effective field goal percentage in the 2025-26 Season, while having a 17.3 Player effiency rating, showing that his impact goes far deeper than the final statlines.
OG Anunoby has been a key part of the New York Knicks for years, showing that he is one of their most important players, but when talking about playoff risers, no player will come up as often as OG Anunoby. Ranking 2nd on his team in Points with 21.4 Points, he is also contributing 7.5 Rebounds, 1.9 Steals and 1.1 Blocks, showing that he is far more valuable than fans think he is.
The Bad News: Hamstrings Are Never Simple
Even though all the analysts and reporters in the NBA are saying that this is only a minor day to day issue, even minor hamstring strains carry extreme re-injury risk, especially when talking about the situation OG is in. Being in the middle of a deep playoff run and a being a player that logs heavy minutes every game, the risk is higher than ever for Anunoby.
The Knicks and Medical Doctors alike know this, which is why they are considering sitting Anunoby in Game 3 to reduce any chances of a reaggrovation. They are not just managing availablility, they are managing long term risk.
Right now, the diagnois sounds encouraging and reassuring, that does mean a lot for recovery, but in these types of situations, especially in the playoffs, hamstrings can shift an entire series momentum faster than anything else.
For the New York Knicks, the real question is no longer if they can beat the Philadelphia 76ers, it is, when taking into account Mitchell Robinson and Jalen Brunson’s injury history, if they can stay healthy long enough to keep this run alive.
If you enjoyed this blog, check out this one I wrote a few days ago about Luka Doncic and Jalen Williams hamstring injuries for more context, also if you want breaking injury updates, follow us on X!