Injury-riddled Knicks set to benefit from 2025 NBA All-Star break

The Knicks are trying to navigate a play riddled with injuries, and the upcoming NBA All-Star interruption provides a much-needed accidental for recovery.

Mitchell Robinson (ankle) has already been ruled retired for Tuesday’s crippled against the Indiana Pacers, portion OG Anunoby (foot/toe) remained questionable up of tipoff astatine the Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Knicks besides listed Josh Hart arsenic probable to play done close genu soreness, and Karl-Anthony Towns has been managing some a thumb sprain and recurring genu soreness passim the season.

Factor successful New York’s abbreviated rotation, which leans heavy connected its starters, positive the carnal toll Jalen Brunson endures each nighttime arsenic the superior violative target, and it’s wide the Knicks are wearing down midway done the season.

That’s wherefore Anunoby’s questionable designation is small much than a tactical decision. The Knicks ne'er expected him to instrumentality earlier the All-Star break. The hazard simply isn’t worthy it.

Knicks caput manager Tom Thibodeau has emphasized that helium wants his squad playing its champion hoops astatine the extremity of the play — but that lone happens if they’re astatine afloat strength. The cautious attack isn’t conscionable astute — it’s necessary.

It’s besides the lone logical way guardant for a squad with heightened expectations pursuing a summertime of bold moves. The Knicks made their title ambitions wide erstwhile they traded 5 first-round picks for Mikal Bridges, past shocked the league by moving Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to Minnesota for Towns conscionable earlier grooming campy successful Charleston, S.C.

And for them to contend? They request to beryllium healthy. The All-Star interruption gives the Knicks a accidental to get healthy, portion risking a re-injury conscionable earlier the interruption could person ramifications down the road.

INCHING CLOSER

Thibodeau told reporters that some Anunoby and Robinson — who hasn’t played since sustaining a 2nd accent fracture successful his near ankle successful May — participated successful parts of signifier connected Monday.

“So dependable progress,” Thibodeau said aft signifier astatine the team’s Tarrytown facility. “But inactive not ready.”

Tuesday’s crippled against the Pacers would people Anunoby’s 4th consecutive lack with what the Knicks are calling a close ft sprain. However, ESPN’s Shams Charania has reported that the wounded is much specifically a toed issue. If Anunoby besides sits retired Wednesday’s back-to-back against the Atlanta Hawks, he’ll person 2 and a fractional weeks to afloat retrieve earlier the Knicks instrumentality from the break.

Robinson’s return, however, remains further out.

“Mitch, evidently he’s doing much and much each day,” Thibodeau said. “But helium needs much time.”

That’s precisely what the Knicks volition get — a afloat week disconnected to heal up earlier the season’s 2nd half.

LOOKING FOR A RESPONSE

Despite the injuries, the Knicks are looking to adjacent retired the archetypal fractional of the play connected a beardown enactment aft Saturday’s blowout nonaccomplishment to the defending champion Boston Celtics.

“We can’t conscionable dwell connected what conscionable happened. Obviously, we lost,” Brunson said Monday aft practice. “We got our asses kicked. How bash we determination guardant from that? We can’t conscionable beryllium present and consciousness atrocious for ourselves.”

The Knicks got different world cheque successful their 2nd nonaccomplishment to Boston this play — a reminder of conscionable however precocious the barroom is for a squad with title aspirations.

“They played precise well,” Josh Hart said. “We didn’t play well, and they won. That simple.”