The Knicks didn’t fare well without OG Anunoby in the lineup last season or during the playoffs, so they have to be hoping the indispensable two-way forward won’t miss significant time with the worrisome noncontact injury he suffered in Saturday’s home loss to the Lakers.
Anunoby, who inked the richest contract in team history over the summer, officially has been listed as questionable for Monday’s game against the Rockets at the Garden to conclude a five-game homestand.
Anunoby dropped to one knee and clutched the back of his right foot before hobbling to the locker room in the third quarter, but initial X-rays came back negative, and the Knicks still are terming the injury as a sprain.
“It’s obviously scary. You care so much for these guys, and we care so much for each other, you never want to see that happen to one of your brothers,” said teammate Karl-Anthony Towns, who went over to check on Anunoby before he left the game, after Saturday’s loss. “So it’s obviously not something you want to see.
“I’m not talking about [what was said], I’m just trying to make sure he’s in good spirits and everything is going well. … We’ll take it day by day and see what happens and see by Monday what we’re looking at.”
Counting the playoffs last season, the Knicks went 26-6 with Anunoby in the lineup following his late-December arrival in a trade with the Raptors, but they were 14-17 when he was sidelined with elbow and hamstring injuries.
Adding in their current 32-17 record with him playing in all 49 games this season — along with only Mikal Bridges — the Knicks have posted a whopping winning percentage of .753 (58-19) with the 6-foot-7 Anunoby in the lineup since he’s been with the team.
“Obviously, whenever someone goes down, we know it’s a part of the game, but obviously there’s a humane aspect to it,” Josh Hart said. “So obviously, we hope he’s good, and that’s always tough, that’s always tough seeing one of your guys go down, especially the way he’s been playing all season — especially the last four or five games.”
The 27-year-old Anunoby is the Knicks’ best perimeter defender, capable of guarding and locking down bigger and smaller opposing players. He averages 16.4 points and 1.4 steals in 36.4 minutes while shooting 36.5 percent from 3-point range this season.
