Update at 3:02pm: The Knicks announced both OG Anunoby and josh hart He is scheduled to start Sunday’s Game 7 against the Pacers.
This will be Anunoby’s first appearance in the series since Game 2 on May 8th. Hart suffered an abdominal injury during the first half of Friday night’s Game 6 at Indiana.
Game 7 between the Knicks and Pacers is coming up, and both OG Anunoby and josh hart still tend to play.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Sunday that both players are on track to play.
SNY sources said entering Sunday that Anunoby was aiming to play in Game 7 regardless of the status of his hamstring injury.
The Knicks have listed Anunoby as questionable for Game 7, and the team and players will make a decision on Anunoby’s availability after Sunday’s team practice before tipoff at 3:30 p.m. As SNY first reported on Saturday, there is internal optimism about Anunoby’s play.
Anunoby has recently made progress in his rehabilitation, and SNY officials said on Saturday that Anunoby hopes to be on the court with his teammates in the decider game against the Pacers.
The forward, who could become a free agent in the 2024 offseason, “wants to be out there with the guys,” said a league source familiar with the developments.
Anunoby suffered a hamstring injury in Game 2 and has not returned to action since. He accompanied the Knicks to three road games in Indiana. As of Friday night, Anunoby had not made much progress in his rehabilitation, doing some light practice on the court.
Obviously he made more progress from Friday evening to Saturday afternoon.
Even if Anunoby is well below 100 percent, the Knicks could benefit greatly from his presence on Sunday.
Anunoby, who has a player option for the 2024-25 season, totaled 41 points and 13 rebounds in the first seven quarters of the series. He also matched up with Indiana’s Pascal Siakam, who had 25 points (11-of-21 FG), seven rebounds, five assists, and two steals in the Pacers’ blowout win in Game 6.
Hart wasn’t at his best in Friday’s loss to the Knicks. He injured his abdomen early in the game and was ruled out for the second half. Hart is questionable for Sunday’s game. However, all of his teammates who spoke to the media Friday night said they expected Hart to play in Game 7. Nothing happened between late Friday night and Sunday morning that would upset his conviction.
Anunoby, acquired in a trade in late December, is scheduled to participate in team workouts ahead of Game 7, and Hart is expected to participate as well. The Knicks may also have both players undergo pregame warmups before determining their status.
