This season’s NBA playoffs have been unpredictable! We’ve seen buzzer-beaters, insane comebacks, and surprising results, and we have not even reached the conference finals yet. One of the series that has contributed big time to this frenzy has been between the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics. Jalen Brunson and Co. have come back from a 20-point deficit in back-to-back games to snatch an early 2-0 lead in the series.
This was surprising, as many expected the defending champions to dominate, given they swept them 4-0 in the regular season. After taking an early lead, New York aimed for another blow that would have left the Celtics teetering. However, Boston avoided a 0-3 deficit with a 115-93 win in Game 3, and now there could be a lot of problems coming the Knicks’ way.
New York will have to avoid defeat at any cost tonight. However, for that, they will need their team to fire on all cylinders. Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby will play a huge part, but there’s a bit of concern regarding their fitness.
Well, New York’s superstar guard, Brunson, has been struggling with an ankle injury. A couple of weeks ago, the Knicks’ point guard sustained a painful ankle injury that caused panic among New York faithful. Fortunately, Jalen Brunson is fit and no longer on the injury report for the Knicks. This means that he’ll be suiting up for this massive game against Boston.
It’s great news for the fans! Who wouldn’t want their most clutch player on the floor in such a high-stakes matchup? The 28-year-old has been New York’s best player in the playoffs. He’s averaging 29.1 points along with 7.6 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game in the postseason.
Meanwhile, their other superstar, OG Anunoby, has been lackluster in the last two games, especially in Game 3. The Knicks wing only managed to knock down a single bucket and went 1-of-6 from the field.
Dec 3, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) reacts during the first quarter against the Orlando Magic at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
However, “He’s a great player, so you’re not gonna be able to do that all the time,” said Boston HC Joe Mazzulla, lauding Anunoby. Indeed, OG Anunoby will have a shot at redemption as he’s fit to play tonight. The 27-year-old forward has been solid for most of the season.
In fact, the Knicks are a perfect 8-0 in games Anunoby attempts 14 field goals or more, which did not happen in Game 3. So, it will be important that he does that tonight at Madison Square Garden. With Brunson and Anunoby both fit to play, the Knicks don’t have any other injury concerns.
It makes you think, what will be their starting five tonight?
How will the Knicks start against the Celtics in Game 4?
Well, Tim Thibodeau has a huge decision to make ahead of Game 4. The Knicks’ head coach is notoriously known for playing his starters in every game and not making a lot of changes. However, he might be forced to make one tonight. That’s because when all five starters, including Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, and Karl-Anthony Towns, are on the court, the Knicks have been outscored by 29 points in the first three games.
“We haven’t done a good job imposing our will into the game from the jump. That’s something that we struggled with in Detroit also, coming out of the half.” Hart said.
This stat improves big time when KAT is swapped with Mitchell Robinson. But is Thibodeau willing to make that change?
Here’s how the Knicks could start:
Position
Starter
PG
Jalen Brunson
SG
Mikal Bridges
SF
Josh Hart
PF
OG Anunoby
C
Karl-Anthony Towns
Well, we all know how stubborn Tim Thibodeau is with his starters. So, it seems highly unlikely that he will make any changes ahead of tonight’s big game. Moreover, KAT has been pretty solid and is much better on the offensive end than Robinson. Overall, it could be anyone’s game tonight with both teams equally capable of landing a jab to the other.
The post Will Jalen Brunson & OG Anunoby Play Tonight vs Celtics? Knicks Injury Report Before Game 4 appeared first on EssentiallySports.