OG Anunoby’s injury absence continues.
The Knicks ruled out the versatile forward about a half-hour before Thursday’s home game against the Chicago Bulls, marking the sixth game in a row that Anunoby missed with a right foot sprain.
Anunoby was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice and had been listed as questionable for Thursday’s game.
“We’ll see what medical says,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said a little over an hour before Anunoby was ruled out.
Anunoby, 27, was also listed as questionable before the Knicks’ games on Feb. 11 and Feb. 12 but did not play in either.
Thursday marked the Knicks’ first game since the All-Star break.
It’s been nearly three weeks since Anunoby suffered the non-contact injury on Feb. 1 when he planted awkwardly during a home loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
An elite defender, Anunoby is averaging 16.4 points per game on 48.2% shooting, including 36.5% from 3-point range. Entering play Thursday, his 1777.7 minutes ranked 18th in the NBA, while his 36.3 minutes per game ranked 11th.
“[He’s] strong on both sides of the ball, guards multiple positions and gets us out in transition,” Thibodeau said.
“What he does is roams and creates a lot of havoc, and that gets us into the open floor. Those easy baskets are huge for us.”
The Knicks went 4-1 in their first five games without Anunoby, but his absence loomed a little larger Thursday. Josh Hart, who ranks second in the NBA with 2002.7 minutes played, was also ruled out against Chicago with patellofemoral syndrome, or “runner’s knee,” in his right knee.
The Knicks also remain without shot-blocking center Mitchell Robinson, who is nearing his season debut after last May’s left ankle surgery.
Thursday’s game against the Bulls, who entered at 22-33, was the first leg of a back-to-back. The Knicks are set to visit the Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday night.
“Going into the season, you know you’re going to hit stretches like that, and you have to have a strategy for everything,” Thibodeau said, speaking broadly about the Knicks’ approach to injured players during back-to-backs.
“If we’re in a back-to-back, we worry about the first game. We’ll worry about the second game tomorrow, but stay locked into what we have to do today. If you’re available, great. If not, the next guy has to be ready.”
Precious Achiuwa and Miles “Deuce” McBride started in place of Anunoby and Hart.
Anunoby started each of the Knicks’ first 49 games before his ongoing absence, but injuries have hampered the forward throughout his eight-year NBA career.
Last season, he missed 27 of a possible 50 regular-season games with the Knicks with an injured elbow after being acquired from the Toronto Raptors in a December 2023 trade.
He also missed four games during the Knicks’ second-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers with a hamstring strain, then lasted only five minutes when he tried to return for a do-or-die Game 7.
But Anunoby remains an undeniable difference-maker when he is in the lineup. The Knicks entered Thursday with a 58-23 record, including the playoffs, when Anunoby is active.
Anunoby re-signed with the Knicks in the offseason on a five-year, $212.5 million contract.
