Injuries to OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson last spring kept the New York Knicks from testing their mettle against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals. Now, nine months later, the Knicks have a chance to make a statement against the Celtics, even without Anunoby and Robinson.
The Knicks will try to inch closer to the Celtics in the race for the second seed in the Eastern Conference on Saturday night, when New York hosts Boston in their second clash of the season.
Knicks’ Situation:
The Knicks have been off since Tuesday night, when they fended off a furious rally by the Toronto Raptors to secure a 121-115 win. Meanwhile, the Celtics’ four-game winning streak ended with a 127-120 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday.
That loss allowed New York to pull within 1 1/2 games of the Celtics for second place in the Eastern Conference. Last season, the Knicks earned the second seed in the East but were hindered by injuries in their second-round series against the Indiana Pacers, who eventually lost to the Celtics in the conference finals. Robinson missed the final six games of the series with a left ankle injury that required surgery, while Anunoby was sidelined for Games 3 through 6 and played only four-plus minutes in Game 7 due to a left hamstring injury.
The Knicks won’t be at full strength on Saturday, but they have won both games without Anunoby since he suffered a sprained right ankle in a 128-112 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on February 1. Robinson still has no timetable for his return from left ankle surgery, though he was cleared for contact this week.
Fortunately for the Knicks, star point guard Jalen Brunson will be available. Brunson scored five of his 28 points in the final 52 seconds on Tuesday to help hold off the Raptors, who had cut a 23-point deficit to one in the fourth quarter. The night before, Brunson scored 11 of the Knicks’ final 13 points as they overcame an 11-point deficit to edge the Houston Rockets 124-118.
Celtics’ Situation:
Boston started the season strong with 16 wins in their first 19 games but have gone 20-13 since then, managing to win more than two straight games only three times during this span. The Mavericks led by as many as 27 points in the fourth quarter on Thursday, continuing an unusual home struggle for the Celtics, who are 5-7 at TD Garden since December 19. Last season, Boston went 37-4 at home in the regular season before going 8-2 in the playoffs.
The loss to Dallas marked the fourth straight time the Celtics have lost their first home game following a multi-game road trip. Overall, Boston is 2-5 in their first home game following a road trip of two or more games this season. Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 25 points in the loss.
Key Players:
- Knicks: Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby (injured), Mitchell Robinson (injured)
- Celtics: Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum
