All hands were back on deck for the Knicks at least to start Game 7 against the Pacers, but invaluable wing OG Anunoby didn’t even last through the first five minutes of the Knicks’ season-ending loss.
Anunoby tested the balky hamstring he injured in Game 2 of this series and was in the starting lineup — as was Josh Hart — but he was unable to play for the final three-plus quarters of the Knicks’ 130-109 defeat.
“We lost, so it sucks,” Anunoby said after the game. “Was just trying, but couldn’t really sprint, couldn’t really jump, but just tried my best.
“Just wanted to play. I wanted to at least try and help my teammates. We’ve been working really hard so I wanted to at least be out there. … I just couldn’t move.”
Anunoby received thunderous applause when introduced as a starter, and he scored a 3-pointer and a long 2-pointer in the first 2:28 of the game.
Anunoby was replaced by Miles McBride with 7:19 left in the first quarter, and while he was seen riding a stationary bike near the Knicks’ bench, he didn’t play for the remainder of the game.
McBride also started in his place to open the third quarter.
“Just the way he was moving, I didn’t think it was worth it,” Tom Thibodeau said “The lift from him hitting the shots, and then I just didn’t feel like he was moving well. It didn’t make sense.
“I didn’t think it was worth the risk. I didn’t wanna take a chance. I love OG. I talked to medical, and we didn’t know what it was going to be until he got out there. He gave us everything he had, and that’s all you can ask for.”
Anunoby also missed 32 games in the regular season with an elbow injury that required surgery, but the Knicks posted a 26-6 record (playoffs included) with him in the lineup since he was acquired in late December from the Raptors.
The 26-year-old Anunoby was seated next to team president Leon Rose during pregame warm-ups, and he will be among the key decisions that need to be made by the front office this summer.
Anunoby can become an unrestricted free agent if he declines a 2024-25 option worth $19.9 million by the June 24 deadline.
“I haven’t thought about any of that,” Anunoby said. “Game just ended, so I haven’t thought about any of that.”