In New York, OG Anunoby, a forward for the Knicks, suffered a hamstring injury to his right leg during the closing minutes of the fourth quarter in the team’s 108-102 victory against the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 2. Reports suggest his availability for Game 3 is uncertain, with his status being evaluated daily.
Anunoby seemed to experience discomfort, clutching the rear of his right leg while driving towards the hoop with approximately three minutes remaining in the final period. Immediately following this movement, Anunoby caught a pass from Josh Hart and went up for a two-handed slam, which was subsequently swatted away by Paul George at the basket:
Following Mikal Bridges’ successful midrange shot that salvaged the play and extended the Knicks’ lead to 105-99, Anunoby was noticeably limping on his way back on defense and seemed to signal to the Knicks’ sideline for a substitution. When Tyrese Maxey turned over the ball for the sixth time, due to a steal by Josh Hart, Knicks head coach Mike Brown initiated a timeout and brought in Miles “Deuce” McBride to replace Anunoby.
McBride participated in the remaining two minutes and 31 seconds of the match. Anunoby departed to the New York locker room and did not rejoin the game.
Immediately post-game, Brown informed journalists that he lacked current information regarding Anunoby’s condition.
“As you know, I haven’t communicated with anyone,” Brown stated. “No one provided any details. He appeared to be limping.”
Brown glanced away from the press conference stage, as a Knicks public relations representative indicated no new information was available.
“My conversation with the medical staff has not yet occurred,” Brown commented.
Subsequently, Brown addressed a follow-up inquiry regarding the events on the sideline after Anunoby requested to leave – specifically, any details the athletic trainers provided concerning the readiness of a player the head coach would likely prefer to have in a crucial playoff situation with a narrow margin.
“Indeed, I haven’t — as I previously mentioned, they haven’t informed me,” Brown responded. “My only knowledge is that he exited the game, prompting me to call out, ‘Deuce!’ I then glanced around, and [Anunoby] wasn’t present. No one confirmed his return. Therefore, I haven’t spoken with anyone yet, but he wasn’t — did he even return to the bench? No.”
When questioned about potential testing for Anunoby, Brown responded, “I possess no information.”
This early departure prematurely concluded an evening where Anunoby contributed 24 points, achieving a 9-for-17 shooting performance, along with 5 boards, 4 pilfers, 2 helpers, 1 rejection, and zero turnovers. During the six-point victory, the Knicks outperformed the Sixers by 12 points during his 37 minutes of play, extending what has been an exceptional beginning to the 2026 NBA playoffs for the veteran of nine seasons – a period highlighting the extensive scope of his impact and capabilities across both offensive and defensive aspects of the game.
“With our progression, one gains a clearer understanding and appreciation for his basketball acumen,” Brown remarked prior to Game 2. “He’s an exceptionally eager passer. Given his stature, he presents significant matchup difficulties, as it’s not always feasible to assign a smaller defender to him, due to his considerable size, strength, and athleticism near the rim, particularly with proper court spacing. He demonstrates proficiency in pick-and-roll situations. He can also emerge from a pindown screen and execute plays.”
This expanded array of offensive capabilities is particularly noticeable to 76ers head coach Nick Nurse, who previously guided Anunoby for the initial six seasons of his professional tenure in Toronto.
“He has consistently excelled defensively, and then his shooting developed,” Nurse commented before Game 2. “And currently, he’s evolved — he’s an impactful rebounder when necessary. He executes cuts effectively. His skill in cutting to the basket has significantly improved. I also believe his ability to initiate and conclude drives has advanced. He simply continues to enhance his game, season after season, and he is undeniably a diligent athlete.”
Such dedicated effort has yielded substantial benefits in the Knicks’ opening to the 2026 playoffs. Prior to Wednesday, Anunoby was tallying averages of 21 points, 7.9 boards, 1.6 takeaways, 1.1 helpers, and 1.1 rejections across 34.9 minutes per contest during the postseason, demonstrating an outstanding 63.8% success rate from the floor, 59.4% from beyond the arc on 4.6 tries per game, and 78.8% from the charity stripe on 4.8 visits nightly. He played a crucial role in the Knicks’ commanding conclusion to the initial round versus the Atlanta Hawks, and performed with exceptional effectiveness in their lopsided Game 1 triumph over the 76ers.
Throughout Anunoby’s 282 minutes played in these playoffs, New York has maintained a 118-point advantage over its adversaries — matching his teammate Jalen Brunson for the top plus-minus rating among all players in the 2026 postseason. The last athlete to achieve an average exceeding 20 points per game with a true shooting percentage (accounting for 2-point, 3-point, and free-throw precision) of at least 60% across multiple playoff series, while simultaneously registering block and steal percentages comparable to Anunoby’s, was Hakeem Olajuwon, dating back to 1996.
On Wednesday evening, his Knicks teammates were reluctant to entertain the idea of advancing in their playoff campaign without such a pivotal two-way player.
“We will convene again tomorrow to assess the complete circumstances,” Towns stated.
“We’ll address that challenge when it arises,” Brunson remarked. “My knowledge is limited.”
During Game 2, as reserve center Mitchell Robinson was unavailable due to sickness, and both Karl-Anthony Towns and third-string big man Ariel Hukporti contended with foul issues, Brown assigned Anunoby to operate as a small-ball center — a duty he performed commendably, orchestrating several impactful periods that enabled New York to maintain competitiveness throughout the latter parts of the second and third quarters.
These moments — featuring one instance where Anunoby achieved a deflection resulting in a Knicks steal, secured two offensive boards from missed shots by colleagues, and then sunk a third-opportunity catch-and-shoot three-pointer following a pass from Brunson — underscored the exceptional and adaptable talent Anunoby represents for the Knicks and the profound impact his absence would create should he miss any duration.
“With that combination of size, athletic prowess, intelligence, intuition, and as a two-way competitor — a player like OG is highly desirable for any squad,” Brown declared before Game 2. “… He embodies — akin to some other individuals on our roster — the quintessential model of selflessness, where one simply performs their duties to the utmost of their ability in an effort to contribute to team victory.”
An informant relayed to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post that Anunoby’s strain is perceived as “extremely slight,” and that his “recuperation will not be prolonged.” Ian Begley of SNY indicates that “a sense of hope prevails in the locker room” regarding Anunoby’s potential participation in Game 3 or 4 this weekend in Philadelphia.
However, should Anunoby be restricted or unable to play as the series returns to Xfinity Mobile Arena for Friday’s Game 3, the Knicks recognize the necessity for collective effort to compensate for his substantial absence.
“He stands among the premier two-way talents in the league, making his replacement a formidable challenge,” McBride informed reporters in the Knicks’ post-game locker room. “However, you cannot substitute him with a single individual. Everyone will be required to elevate their performance.”
