OG Anunoby and Tyrese Maxey, available for Knicks vs. 76ers

Believe it or not, the day has finally come!

The New York Knicks will host the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday for the second time in three days following their loss on Sunday... but they might have a difference maker in the starting lineup after he spent the last month and change in the shelves.

Basketball insider Shams Charania reported early on Monday that “OG Anunoby is close,” quoting the timeline the Knicks initially gave the forward for his return to the court following elbow surgery in early February. right around

Just a few hours after Charania wrote that Anunoby “will be back on the court over the next week or so,” the news breaker dropped the bomb announcing OG’s imminent return would happen on Tuesday’s contest against the Sixers.

“Knicks forward OG Anunoby – out since Jan. 27 with elbow injury – is expected to return as soon as Tuesday vs. 76ers,” Charania reported. “He’s expected to be upgraded on injury report.”

And that’s precisely what the Knicks did a few hours later when submitting their final pre-game injury report to the NBA offices. At the time of this writing, OG Anunoby is listed as “questionable” to play against Philly with Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson the only Knicks ruled out for Tuesday’s matchup.

Just for context, Jalen Brunson was injured two weekends ago, missed one game, was listed as questionable to play on Friday against Orlando, and he ended up in the starting lineup back then. Feel free to pencil OG Anunoby in for tonight’s game in one of the starting forward slots, folks.

Speaking after Monday’s practice, head coach Tom Thibodeau sounded excited about OG’s chances of making his comeback today.

“[Anunoby] is real close,” Thibodeau said. “I feel good watching the way he’s progressed, just everything he’s been cleared to do. He’s taken contact. He’s gone through practice. His conditioning is good. We are hopeful.”

Thibodeau explained that Anunoby has simply followed the “normal protocol” for his recovery following surgery and that the final marker for OG to clear is “going back to the doctor to make sure he signs off on it, as well.”

Regarding New York’s opponent today, Philadelphia is also expected to welcome back one of their starters in All-Star point guard Tyrese Maxey. He entered concussion protocol a few days ago and he didn’t clear it in time for Sunday’s matchup (he traveled with the team, though) but he will be ready to go on Tuesday, per Adrian Wojnarowski.

“Tyrese Maxey has cleared concussion protocol and will return vs. the Knicks on Tuesday, sources tell ESPN,” Woj reported. “Maxey has missed four straight games in protocol.”

The Sixers will still be without former MVP and big man Joel Embiid, who expects to return before the end of the regular season but is not quite there yet.

“That’s the plan,” Embiid told reporters on the last day of February, nearly two weeks ago. “Obviously everything has to go right, as far as getting healthy and being as close as I’m supposed to be.”

The center has started to do some on-court workouts while attempting to return from knee surgery, per Katie George of ESPN, but he is not expected to play until April at the earliest, per Shams Charania.