GREENBURGH, N.Y. (AP) 鈥� OG Anunoby could only participate in some parts of practice when the New York Knicks returned to work Wednesday.
Luckily for them, they still have time to wait.
With at least a few more days before the Knicks would start the Eastern Conference finals, they can be patient with that forced him to miss the last two games of their .
Coach Mike Brown said the starting forward did some things, though not when the Knicks went full speed. He said Anunoby looked fine with what he did, though it certainly sounds like there’s a gap between what that was and the intensity of an NBA postseason game.
Brown added that he isn’t sure when Anunoby can do more 鈥� and the Knicks don’t even know how soon that would need to be. Game 1 against Detroit or Cleveland could be Sunday, though the series wouldn’t begin until next week if those teams, who were tied 2-2 entering Game 5 on Wednesday, go the distance.
鈥淭hey told me what he could do today. They have not told me what he could do tomorrow, so I don鈥檛 know what he鈥檒l be able to do for Game 1,鈥� Brown said.
Anunoby is one of the Knicks’ most important players, a top defender whose offensive game has hit its peak during this playoff run. The Knicks were able to win two games without him against a tired Philadelphia team that never recovered after needing seven games to beat Boston in the first round, but it would be difficult to beat the top-seeded Pistons or Cavaliers without him.
Brown isn’t thinking that far ahead. The Knicks plan to take Thursday off and practice again Friday, and he said only then will he ask for his next Anunoby update.
鈥淎t least for me, I鈥檓 taking it one game at a time,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to know from medical or anybody else anything beyond that, because when I do that stuff I get my hopes up and I don鈥檛 like doing that at all.鈥�
The Knicks have plenty of reason for hope after a dominant run through the first two rounds. They have won seven straight games since falling behind 2-1 against Atlanta in the first round and outscored the Hawks and 76ers by a combined 194 points, the largest margin ever through a team’s first 10 postseason games.
They finished off the Hawks on April 30 and were back on the court against the 76ers on May 4. They could be idle more than twice as long this time.
鈥淭he first series we had what, four days鈥� break I think it was? That was good enough,鈥� forward Josh Hart said. 鈥淭his right now, I think at least a week if not nine days, that鈥檚 a long time. So obviously it鈥檚 good for recovery, but mentally I鈥檓 watching the games, I鈥檓 just like just waiting, just waiting to get back out there.鈥�
Brown has some experience. His Cleveland Cavaliers swept the first two series in 2009, then were off more than a week before the opener of an East finals series they lost to Orlando. He replaced an ailing Steve Kerr for most of the 2017 postseason as the Golden State Warriors swept their first three series, leaving them a 10-day gap between the end of the West finals and the start of the NBA Finals.
鈥淚鈥檝e been part of sweeps, I’ve been part of getting swept and been part of long layoffs and short turnarounds, so you worry about different stuff at different times,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淟ike, quick turnaround you鈥檙e like: 鈥極h my God, we can鈥檛 prepare. Oh my god, guys are tired.鈥� And long layoffs, you鈥檙e like, 鈥極h my gosh, we got too much time, we鈥檙e not going to stay sharp.鈥欌��
He said the key during long layoffs is to manufacture ways to keep players’ minds sharp and the Knicks believe it will work.
鈥淚 think we have our plan,鈥� All-Star Jalen Brunson said. 鈥淥bviously utilize rest, but then when we鈥檙e in the gym we鈥檙e doing everything that we need to do to stay in rhythm, stay having the edge that we need to have, focusing on the things that we need to focus on and continuing to prepare.鈥�
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