OG Anunoby is back.
The Knicks’ best performer during their dominant postseason is officially active and starting Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden, returning Anunoby to action for the first time since injuring his hamstring 13 days prior.
Entering Tuesday, Anunoby had been a two-way force in the playoffs, averaging 21.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.1 blocks and a team-best 1.9 steals, while shooting 61.9 percent from the field (a team-high 53.8 percent on 3-pointers).
Anunoby, whose hamstring injury two years ago played a large role in derailing the Knicks’ postseason run, was a full participant in recent practices and declared he was feeling better every day, while noting that the injury he suffered in Game 2 against the 76ers wasn’t as severe as the one that sidelined him two years ago against the Pacers.
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The Knicks’ second-round sweep of the 76ers — combined with Cleveland’s seven-game series against the Pistons — gave the 28-year-old an unusually long time to rest and rehab, unlike when he rushed to return for Game 7 of the 2024 conference semifinals against Indiana and was removed after hobbling through five minutes.
It is unclear if Anunoby will be on a minutes restriction in Game 1.
The 6-foot-7 forward struggled in his most recent return from an injury, having missed four games with a right toenail avulsion before the All-Star break. Anunoby was uncharacteristically out of rhythm in his first game in 15 days — shooting 3-of-13 (1-of-8 3-pointers) for eight points with zero rebounds in 32 minutes — and also failed to contain Cade Cunningham, who put up 42 points and 13 assists in Detroit’s 15-point win despite largely being guarded by the Knicks’ top defender.
