NEW YORK — After Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander broke the New York Knicks’ hearts with a jumper with 1.8 seconds remaining to raise the Thunder to a 113-112 victory right here at Madison Sq. Backyard Sunday night time, ahead Josh Hart delivered one other blow by indicating it’s extra possible than not each OG Anunoby and Julius Randle will not return this season.
“I am taking a look at it like that is the group we’ll have,” Hart mentioned when requested if there was something to remove from New York’s efficiency with three starters — Anunoby (elbow), Randle (shoulder) and Mitchell Robinson (ankle) — unavailable. “I believe that is how we now have to method it, that these guys aren’t coming again and clearly we’ll be pleasantly stunned if they arrive again.
“I am not in these medical conversations or something like that, so I do not know s— from s—. However we have got to method each sport and the tip of this season that these guys aren’t coming again, and in the event that they do, be pleasantly stunned.”
Each Anunoby and Randle initially left the lineup after the Knicks beat the Miami Warmth on Jan. 27 right here at “The World’s Most Well-known Area.” Anunoby was coping with elbow discomfort that finally required a process to be executed on his proper (taking pictures) elbow, whereas Randle separated his shoulder after Warmth ahead Jaime Jaquez Jr. took a cost in opposition to him.
Anunoby finally returned to the lineup for 3 video games earlier than sitting out the previous seven, together with Sunday’s loss to Oklahoma Metropolis, whereas Randle — who continues to work out diligently however has but to progress previous doing “managed contact” exercises — has not come again since then.
Earlier than the sport, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau was requested in regards to the standing of Anunoby and Randle.
First Thibodeau was requested instantly if there was any concern Anunoby might be unable to return this season.
“We simply take care of actuality,” Thibodeau mentioned.
“You take care of it day-to-day. When he is robust sufficient, he will get on the market.”
Then, after saying each Anunoby and Randle have been roughly in the identical place of their restoration processes, he addressed Randle’s ongoing rehab scenario, which has seemingly plateaued for the previous a number of weeks. It is an damage Randle did not have surgical procedure on and is notoriously difficult to take care of — notably for a participant who performs with as bodily of a mode as Randle does.
“Simply maintain doing what he is doing, day-to-day,” Thibodeau mentioned of Randle’s rehab course of. “You by no means know when it turns. That is mainly the method we take.
“Rehab is admittedly your sport, so put all the things you might have into that. And finally you may get there; you may’t get discouraged; simply maintain working at it. The opposite guys, they’ve a job to do.”
Sunday night time, the Knicks got here heartbreakingly near profitable for a second straight sport. However whereas Friday’s loss in San Antonio was regrettable as a result of the Spurs discover themselves on the backside of the NBA standings, this one was for completely completely different causes: specifically the self-inflicted wounds New York gave itself down the stretch, together with 5 missed free throws within the closing minutes.
Three of these have been by Brunson alone, who went on to then make what seemed like it could be a game-winning layup with 4.1 seconds to go — a play that noticed Brunson, not for the primary time, tumble to the bottom in a heap and put his arms out in search of a foul name.
“Write what you see,” Thibodeau mentioned a number of instances in response to a number of queries about Brunson’s remaining shot, and whether or not a foul ought to’ve been referred to as on the play.”
“He mentioned it wasn’t a foul,” Brunson mentioned later, when requested what the referees mentioned about not calling a foul there. “To place it into lengthy story brief, that is what he mentioned.”
The loss saved the Knicks a half-game again of the Cleveland Cavaliers for third within the Jap Convention standings, and one sport forward of the Orlando Magic in fourth place.
Oklahoma Metropolis, in the meantime, clinched a playoff spot for the primary time since 2020 with Sunday’s victory, and in addition moved again forward of the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves for the highest spot within the Western Convention standings.
“It feels good,” Gilgeous-Alexander mentioned of the Thunder formally qualifying for the playoffs after he missed the prior two video games with a quad problem. “Probably not ‘no huge hoorah’ for me. This group has huge targets, huge aspirations, and it is one of many issues that was on our record for certain. And for us to, to take action, it feels good. You do not really feel like there’s have to rejoice it.
“We have not actually executed something but. We simply obtained to maintain getting higher, and see the place it takes us.”
