NEW YORK (AP) — Due to surgery on his right elbow, OG Anunoby will be out for at least three weeks, which means the New York Knicks will be missing their full starting frontcourt during the All-Star break.
Anunoby underwent surgery on Thursday, the Knicks announced, during which a loose bone fragment was removed from his elbow. Coach Tom Thibodeau stated he was unaware of the performance time, but they did not disclose it.
Anunoby’s injury report for Thursday’s game against Dallas now lists bone spur inflammation instead of right elbow inflammation, which the team previously reported as the reason for Anunoby’s absence from the previous five games.
“We tried to approach it with rest first, and this was the best course of action because you trust the medical professional,” Thibodeau added. It appeared to make the most sense to us all, and we’re hopeful that it continues into the All-Star break.”
Anunoby will undergo evaluation in three weeks, according to the Knicks. After the break, which begins on February 16, center Mitchell Robinson will resume working on the floor while All-Star forward Julius Randle is out with a separated shoulder.
Following his debut in the starting lineup on New Year’s Day, Anunoby’s acquisition from Toronto propelled the Knicks to unprecedented heights in the standings as they went 14-2 in January. When Thibodeau arrived, he did not know if Anunoby was already taking care of the injury.
It’s difficult to pinpoint the exact moment because the inflammation occurred first. These occurrences are not unusual, according to Thibodeau. “This time of year, most athletes are nicked up with something when they play in 50 games. Since there was inflammation, we had hoped to overcome it, but regrettably that was not the case. Thus, after gathering data and speaking with specialists, a conclusion is made.
In 14 games following the trade that brought RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to the Raptors, Anunoby has averaged 15.6 points.
