There isn’t a team in the NBA that needs the All-Star break to come as much as the New York Knicks. Their roster has been hit extremely hard by injuries in recent weeks, as they are down several rotation players.
That has led to some uneven play the last few weeks with the team being short-handed. Healthy guys are playing heavy minutes and that is catching up to them as well. Centers Mitchell Robinson and Isaiah Hartenstein are both out. As are starting forwards OG Anunoby and Julius Randle.
Could Donte DiVincenzo now be joining them on the sidelines? DiVincenzo played 41 minutes against the Houston Rockets despite not playing the final 5+ minutes of the game. The only reason he didn’t play those minutes is because he asked out of the game and headed straight to the locker room.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Donte DiVincenzo & New York Knicks Updates
From the looks of it, DiVincenzo is dealing with a right hamstring injury. According to Fred Katz of The Athletic, he was seen walking around gingerly and grimacing as he held his right hamstring.
Katz said that DiVincenzo looked like he was attempting to stay in the game by using a massager on his hamstring. He was still engaged, listening to head coach Tom Thibodeau in the huddle, but he did not re-enter the game at any point.
This is the last thing the Knicks need; another injury to navigate. Down four rotation players and attempting to integrate two new players in Alec Burks and Bojan Bogdanovic acquired ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline, New York only has one more game before a much-needed break.
Hopefully, the ailment DiVincenzo is dealing with isn’t a serious one. The Knicks cannot afford to lose him, as he has been an integral part of their rotation, stepping up with his teammates sidelined by injuries.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Donte DiVincenzo & New York Knicks Updates
Monday against the Rockets was the eighth straight game DiVincenzo played 38+ minutes in. The heavy workload is seemingly catching up with him and his teammates, as the Knicks are lacking a lot of key rotation pieces.
In those eight games, DiVincenzo is averaging 26.5 points per game, replacing the scoring production of Randle. He has been an efficient, high-volume 3-point shooter, getting the job done from long-range and taking some pressure off of Jalen Brunson as a reliable source of points.
Want the latest NBA analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click Here. Follow NBA Analysis Network on Twitter and Facebook.
Interested in reading the latest storylines and analysis in the NFL? Check out our partner NFL Analysis Network.
