Knicks Get Encouraging OG Anunoby Injury Update

The New York Knicks have been playing shorthanded for over a week now, missing one of their best players because of a painful toe injury. Ahead of their post-All-Star return, there's some good news coming out of practice.

Ian Begley of ESPN shared the update on X, posting:

"OG Anunoby is back to practice in full, he says. He said he is fully cleared to play. When asked about it, he said the toe nail avulsion was very painful."

OG Anunoby is back to practice in full, he says. He said he is fully cleared to play. When asked about it, he said the toe nail avulsion was very painful.
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) February 18, 2026

So‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ what's a toenail avulsion actually? It's when the toenail partially or completely detaches from the nail bed, generally due to trauma. Among basketball players, it's a common occurrence. Going up and down, making sharp turns and wearing tight sneakers all put your toes under a lot of pressure. It may seem like a small issue until you consider that a toe is involved in almost every move you make on the ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌court.

Anunoby's‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ injury forced him to miss four consecutive games before the All-Star break.

The Knicks went 2-2 in the four games without him, including a terrible 137-134 overtime loss to Indiana. New York allowed 18 three-point shots in that game and had eight players from the Pacers scoring in double digits.

Currently,‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ Anunoby is averaging 16.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.7 steals in 41 games he started. That 1.7 steals per game total ranks him No. 6 among all NBA players. Besides being a scorer, he is the one who defends the opposing team's best wing player always, and the Knicks seriously suffered when he was out of the ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌lineup.

‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌Rookie Mohamed Diawara stepped up very well in the absence of Anunoby, scoring almost 8 points and grabbing 3 rebounds per game from the bench in that stretch. He scored 14 points against the 76ers before the break, which definitely boosted the team.

However, the Knicks are aware that a rookie producing numbers like that is not going to be enough to lead the team to success. ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌

Knicks Look to Avenge Pistons Blowout With Full Roster

It‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ couldn't have been a better timing for New York Knicks. After the All-Star break, they open the second half against Detroit on Feb. 19 and if Anunoby is fully cleared, he would most likely play immediately. It could also mark Jeremy Sochan's debut in a Knicks uniform, after the former lottery pick joined New York on a veteran's minimum deal following his buyout from San Antonio.

The‍‌‍‍‌‍‌ rematch with Detroit comes with a bit of pressure as well. The last time these teams met, the Pistons gave the Knicks their worst defeat of the season, winning 118-80. However, in that game, the Knicks were missing Towns, Anunoby, and McBride. This time, with a complete and even strengthened lineup, things will likely be totally ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌different.

This time, with a complete and even strengthened lineup, the game will be totally ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌different.