The New York Knicks have limped into the NBA All-Star Break. They are riding a season-high four-game losing streak as injuries have ravaged the roster in recent weeks, leading to some up-and-down performance on the court.
There have been several games head coach Tom Thibodeau has had only six players on NBA contracts available to play, with the other players being on 10-day contracts or two-way deals with the G League. That put Thibodeau in a tough spot, relying on players to play rotation minutes who wouldn’t normally be in the lineup.
The All-Star break will provide some of the players who are banged up to get rest and come back ready to go for the stretch run of the season. Three of the players who are dealing with ailments, Isaiah Hartenstein, Donte DiVincenzo and Bojan Bogdanovic, are expected back right after the break, according to Thibodeau via Stefan Bondy of the New York Post.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, OG Anunby, Isaiah Hartenstein, Mitchell Robinson, Bojan Bogdanovic, New York Knicks Updates
Hartenstein has been dealing with Achilles soreness that flared up twice. He missed two games in late January and then sat out the last three ahead of the break. DiVincenzo suffered a hamstring injury in the second-to-last game of the break against the Houston Rockets.
Bogdanovic ended up missing what was his last game with the Detroit Pistons because of a calf injury. He played in two games with the Knicks before sitting out Wednesday night against the Orlando Magic because of it.
While the update was positive for that trio, Bondy didn’t have an update for the three Knicks dealing with long-term injuries. Mitchell Robinson has been sidelined since early December after undergoing ankle surgery. Julius Randle suffered a separated shoulder on January 27th against the Miami Heat. OG Anunoby hasn’t been in the lineup since the 27th either because of an elbow injury that he underwent a procedure for.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, OG Anunby, Isaiah Hartenstein, Mitchell Robinson, Bojan Bogdanovic, New York Knicks Updates
No firm timetable has been given by the Knicks as to when any of those players will return to the court. But, Bondy is expecting Randle to be the first of that bunch to return.
Anunoby and Randle are both week-to-week with their injuries. They will be evaluated during the break and a more concrete timetable to return should be provided. Robinson is reportedly going to begin ramping up his activity on the court soon as well.
Getting all six of those players healthy is the No. 1 priority for the Knicks for the remainder of the season. If New York wants any chance of making some noise in the NBA Playoffs, they need all of them healthy and in the lineup.
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