OG Anunoby exits with right hamstring injury

A Knicks playoff win turned into a hamstring watch almost immediately. New York beat Philadelphia 108-102 in Game 2 on Wednesday night, May 6, and took a 2-0 series lead. But OG Anunoby left late after grabbing the back of his right leg on a cut to the basket, and the mood changed fast. That matters because Anunoby is not some optional wing piece for this team — he is one of the main reasons the Knicks look this dangerous right now. (espn.com) ### What happened on the play? With a little over three minutes left in the fourth quarter, Anunoby cut toward the rim, reached for the back of his right leg, and clearly looked uncomfortable. He stayed in the play for a moment and even tr(espn.com)eturn. (sports.yahoo.com) ### Why are people calling it a hamstring? Nobody had a full official diagnosis right after the game, but the video is why the conversation went there so quickly. He grabbed high on the back of the right leg — the classic area for a hamstring issue — and(sports.yahoo.com)et talked to the medical staff, so the exact severity was still unknown. (espn.com) ### How good was he before the exit? Really good — and that is the part that makes this sting. Anunoby finished with 24 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 4 steals before leaving. This was not a quiet role-player night. He was one of the b(espn.com)e without hijacking the offense. (sports.yahoo.com) ### Why does this hit the Knicks so hard? Because Anunoby is the glue guy who does star-level dirty work. He takes the hardest defensive assignment, spaces the floor, cuts at the right time, and lets Jalen Brunson and the rest of the offense breathe. Los(sports.yahoo.com)lly, he is the piece that keeps their lineups balanced on both ends. (sports.yahoo.com) ### Is there extra concern because of his history? Yes — even though this is the right leg, not the left. The anxiety comes from the fact that Anunoby already had a playoff run disrupted by a hamstring injury before, and soft-tissue injuries are tri(sports.yahoo.com)jury is severe. But it does explain why Knicks fans went straight from celebrating a win to worrying about the next scan. (espn.com) ### What happens next? The next real step is imaging and a formal team update. Same-night reporting pointed to an MRI as the obvious next move, and outside injury analysis has framed the range pretty simply: if it is mild, he could still m(espn.com)he turnaround is fast. (sports.yahoo.com) ### Does the 2-0 lead change anything? It helps, but only so much. A 2-0 cushion gives New York a little room to be cautious, and that matters with any hamstring issue because rushing back is how a short absence turns into a long one. But the catch is t(sports.yahoo.com)o not always line up neatly. (espn.com) ### Bottom line? The scoreboard says the Knicks are in control. The bigger story says their ceiling may now depend on one right hamstring. Until there is an official diagnosis, that is the tension hanging over this series. (sports.yahoo.c([espn.com)35312.html))