On the day the Knicks received the crushing news that Julius Randle will not make it back this season, coach Tom Thibodeau offered some optimism regarding the team’s other sidelined forward.
OG Anunoby has been cleared for contact and resumed five-on-five practice, Thibodeau said before Thursday’s 120-109 win over the Kings at the Garden.
“OG’s doing well. He’s getting closer,” Thibodeau said. “So we’re optimistic, cautiously optimistic with that one.”
Anunoby has mostly been sidelined since Jan. 27 with a right elbow injury that required surgery.
The two-way wing returned for three games in mid-March, but he missed his ninth in a row Thursday against Sacramento.
The Knicks have won 15 of the 17 games in which Anunoby has appeared this season following a late-December trade from the Raptors.
“The one thing is when he came back the first time, we already got a look at what it will look like,” Thibodeau said. “His game is unique because it’s defense, it’s rebounding, it’s moving without the ball, it’s running the floor. Being versatile on offense. But he can fit in seamlessly.
“The one thing about it being an elbow injury is he can do the conditioning part. So that’s the one positive, probably, out of all of that.”
Mitchell Robinson (ankle) and Josh Hart (wrist) had been listed as questionable, but both played.
It was the fourth game in the past five Robinson has played.
He had seven rebounds and two points in 15 minutes.
“About what you would expect, some good moments, some moments that obviously could be better,” Thibodeau said beforehand. “Each day should get better. That’s what we’re hoping for.”
Hart was on fire, going 14-for-19 from the field on his way to 31 points, to go with nine rebounds and eight assists.
Malik Monk (knee) and Kevin Huerter (shoulder) were out for the Kings.