Knicks Injury Report: OG Anunoby Status Added to List

Game 1 of the Knicks' opening series against the Hawks made it clear that New York is the favorite for a reason in this first-round matchup. However, it also showed Atlanta won't be the easiest out, so any unforeseen hiccups for NY could create an opening for their opponent.

One such gift was almost handed to Quin Snyder's team off the bat, as Knicks forward OG Anunoby tweaked his ankle in the third quarter and checked himself out of the game. The elite defender's absence was temporary, however, and he returned to play his usual minutes-heavy role without any complications in the win.

Though Anunoby was the only addition to New York's Game 2 injury report, there remains reason for optimism with his current health.

OG Anunoby's playoff ankle injury seems on minor side of Knicks' worries

Anunoby's Game 1 scare obviously prompted immediate concerns. He went down on a physical drive, with his ankle rolling while he went to the hoop against CJ McCollum. He immediately grabbed it afterwards.

Even worse, it was the same ankle he hurt just over a week ago versus the Raptors, which cost him the entire second half of that game. That put extra eyes on his status entering the opener to see how his body would hold up. His crumpling to the floor wasn't the sight most wanted to see again so soon.

OG Anunoby rolled his ankle on this play and had to immediately check out of the game pic.twitter.com/uchdwYZJh6
— KNICKS BEAST (@KnicksBeast) April 18, 2026

But Anunoby returned on Saturday and didn't appear impacted by this lingering injury one bit. He finished the game leading all New York players in minutes (38), which is something the staff wouldn't push him toward if there were real worries.

The 28-year-old also was his usual impactful self, notching 18 points, eight rebounds and a steal. His defense was essential in making the night difficult for Jalen Johnson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (14-of-36 combined from the field), while also playing a role in ATL's 12 total turnovers.

Simply put, Anunoby didn't look like a player dealing with a serious injury. His aggressive drive on McCollum in the first place showed someone who feels good about their body. He didn't shy away from contact overall, with four free throws attempted.

If Anunoby was feeling any ill effects, he hid them exceptionally well. And beginning the series with an efficient shooting performance (6-of-9 from the field, including 2-of-3 from deep) sets him up to still make an impact if his ankle starts hindering him in any way.

Of course, the Knicks can also help out their key defensive piece by considering ways to lighten his load, even if by a little. Fellow starters Karl-Anthony Towns (33 minutes) and Mikal Bridges (32) notably played less than him. Meanwhile, Jordan Clarkson saw just 11 minutes off the bench despite a strong showing on both ends of the court. Landy Shamet and Miles McBride came in a chunk below their season-long MPG as well in Game 1.

Obviously, Mike Brown's squad is better off with Anunoby on the floor than someone else filling those minutes, and the bench left a bit to be desired in the opener. But NY also has the long game to think about, and pushing his top forward to the limit this early after another injury tweak could have repercussions for a hopeful NBA Finals run.

The Hawks are well aware that Anunoby's not quite at 100%, even if he was a full practice participant on Sunday, which makes it even more crucial to give extra thought to how he's deployed.

All of that said, New York is living, by all accounts, the best scenario with Anunoby's injury issue at the moment with zero effects being felt. Still, this should be extra motivation for Brown and his staff to figure out a way to make this a quick series and buy the forward some rest before a possible Celtics showdown in the semifinals.

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