It happened again.
Another reminder OG Anunoby’s surgically-repaired elbow remains fragile just two games back onto the floor after an early-February procedure.
With 3:35 to go in the second quarter of the Knicks’ eventual 105-93 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers late Thursday night, Anunoby swiped down while Portland’s center Deandre Ayton made a move on the low post.
The play resulted in a steal for Anunoby — and immediate strain on a right elbow just six-plus weeks out from a procedure to remove a loose bone fragment.
Anunoby instantly grabbed at the elbow. It was the second time in as many games a previously normal basketball play resulted in unnatural pain on his shooting elbow.
In Tuesday’s victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, Anunoby stole the ball and got out in transition for a right-handed dunk.
He grimaced in pain and shook his elbow out after the play.
And his reaction after the swipe-down on Ayton was worse.
As expected for an organization navigating life after surgery with a forward integral to their deep playoff hopes.
“He knew that stuff like that’s gonna happen,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said. “There’s gonna be bumps and bruises in every game, and then you check after the game, and then you check in the morning, but we were expecting there to be bumps and bruises.”
After the swipe-down on Ayton, Anunoby checked out of the game and had his elbow examined by Knicks head athletic trainer Dr. Anthony Goenaga.
He then checked back into the game to start the second half and played the final 10 minutes and 29 seconds of the fourth quarter, tallying 36 minutes on the night.
Anunoby’s desire to continue playing through the pain tells his coach and teammates all they need to know about the star forward’s injury status moving forward.
“I feel like if he’s hurt he wouldn’t play,” All-Star guard Jalen Brunson told reporters in Portland after the game. “I think a lot of us have mindsets like that. He went back out there, so that’s a telling sign.”
A fragile elbow should also be expected given Anunoby spent close to seven weeks off the floor after last playing on Jan. 27 against the Miami Heat.
“There’s gonna be some times where there’s gonna be soreness, so, he played through it. He was fine,” Thibodeau told reporters. “Medical looked at him, and there’s gonna be times where it gets hit, and we’ve just gotta keep going. So we’ll see where he is tomorrow.”
It’s clear the Knicks morph into a dark horse contender for a deep playoff run when Anunoby is on the court. They are now 14-2 in games he has played in since arriving in the Dec. 31 trade with the Toronto Raptors versus 8-10 in games both Anunoby and Julius Randle (dislocated shoulder) have been out due to injury.
It’s why the Knicks — and Anunoby — need to be cautious with the two-way wing’s workload, as difficult as the idea may be to fathom given the importance each game holds in a clustered Eastern Conference.
The Knicks need Anunoby to be as close to 100% when the games begin to count come playoff time — but playoff time may not come around if Anunoby isn’t playing as many minutes as possible.
Only 3.5 games separate the No. 4-seeded Knicks from the eighth-seeded Miami Heat with just 16 games left on the schedule and three Western Conference contenders in Sacramento, Golden State and Denver next up on the docket.
Which means the Knicks need Anunoby, in whatever shape he’s in, on the court to cement their playoff status.
“Just him being on the court is a difference maker. Obviously we’re glad he’s back. The things he can do just makes us a better team,” said Brunson. “He’s tough and obviously we want the best for everybody. We want them to be healthy first and foremost. But I mean if you go back out there, it means you’re good. Things are gonna happen. You’re gonna get banged up. We’ve got everyone’s back. Just make sure everyone takes care of each other first.”
