Knicks' Lucky Injury Breaks for Upcoming Games Keep Piling Up

Life in the NBA is unforgiving. But there’s a lot going on all the time, so maybe sometimes it gets distracted. The New York Knicks stumbled out of the gate to start the season, but a series of unfortunate events may help them get back on track sooner than later.

The Knicks didn’t expect to start 0-3. That’s 1-3 now, after Tuesday’s 111-97 win over the Pistons. Detroit was without Jalen Duren, nursing a strained hamstring. When Duren’s right, he’s a handful and a highlight. Without him, Karl-Anthony Towns had 27 points and 20 rebounds and Andre Drummond was only a couple boards away from his own double-double.

However, the Motor City isn't the only place New York will dodge a key player, as several upcoming opponents have suffered some short- and long-term injuries in the early going that'll sideline them for their matchups against the Knicks.

Knicks are getting several injury breaks in near-future to help boost their record after poor start

New York is familiar with the impact Nic Claxton can have on a game from his years in Brooklyn. Since Chicago acquired him in a popular offseason trade, a hamstring injury's kept him from playing in the preseason and the regular season. He’ll miss their matchup Wednesday, meaning their biggest player will be rookie Caleb Wilson. That could mean more feasting for KAT and Drummond.

On Friday the Knicks are in Philadelphia, looking to pay the 76ers back for their upset win on ring night. Already thin at center from losing Ariel Hukporti for the season, the Sixers are without backup big Dominick Barlow to begin another week as he deals with back problems. Joel Embiid is both acutely day-to-day (heel) and chronically (Embiid). VJ Edgecombe is also listed as day-to-day.

The rash of serious injuries continues to spread around the Association, with ramifications the Knicks will deal over the next month.

Toronto's Kawhi Leonard is expected to miss a period of weeks due to swelling in his left knee, sources tell ESPN. MRI on Leonard's knee showed no structural damage, but sides will use the shorter term to ramp him back up after the stoppages during the offseason. pic.twitter.com/DBAgI3v38D
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 27, 2026

Between Nov. 15-19 the Knicks play three games in five days, all in Toronto and Minnesota. The Raptors likely won’t have Kawhi Leonard then, who's expected to miss "weeks" of action due to swelling in his left knee.

Meanwhile, the Timberwolves will also be without Anthony Edwards, who's going under the knife for his knee problems and looking at two months (at least) of recovery time. Former Knick Donte DiVincenzo says he’ll be back sometime this season as he recovers from his April Achilles injury, but their season series ends in January, meaning the Knicks won't see DiVincenzo in 2027—unless the teams meet in the Finals.

And the Jazz just announced Jaren Jackson Jr. tore the MCL in his right knee and will miss the next six weeks, meaning he could miss one or both of Utah's matchups against New York in late December.

It only takes one batch of bad luck to upend common sense. For years, the Thunder have been lauded for the depth of their rosters. In six months, they played much of the Western Conference finals without Jalen Williams and the last four games without Ajay Mitchell. To avoid second-apron conditions they traded Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe last summer for second-round picks.

This week, they lost Williams and Cason Wallace to a potentially season-ending leg (Williams) injury and shoulder (Wallace) injuries. In the Thunder’s win Monday, Alex Caruso had to be helped to the locker room after spraining his ankle and didn’t return. That’s how quickly they’ve gone from an embarrassment of riches to short-staffed.

As the Knicks look to get rolling, the injury breaks have been going their way. What is that good fortune worth, though, when one bad break the other way would make New York the team others circle on the schedule, shorthanded and salivated over? The Knicks can’t count on always getting the breaks, but as long as they are, best to take advantage.

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