Josh Hart — ‘Pleasantly shocked’ if OG Anunoby, Julius Randle return

NEW YORK — After Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander broke the New York Knicks’ hearts with a jumper with 1.8 seconds remaining to raise the Thunder to a 113-112 victory right here at Madison Sq. Backyard Sunday evening, ahead Josh Hart delivered one other blow by indicating it’s extra seemingly than not each OG Anunoby and Julius Randle will not return this season.

“I am taking a look at it like that is the crew we’ll have,” Hart mentioned when requested if there was something to remove from New York’s efficiency with three starters — Anunoby (elbow), Randle (shoulder) and Mitchell Robinson (ankle) — unavailable. “I feel that is how we have now to method it, that these guys aren’t coming again and clearly we’ll be pleasantly shocked if they arrive again.

“I am not in these medical conversations or something like that, so I do not know s— from s—. However we have to method each sport and the top of this season that these guys aren’t coming again, and in the event that they do, be pleasantly shocked.”

Each Anunoby and Randle initially left the lineup after the Knicks beat the Miami Warmth on Jan. 27 right here at “The World’s Most Well-known Area.” Anunoby was coping with elbow discomfort that finally required a process to be performed on his proper (taking pictures) elbow, whereas Randle separated his shoulder after Warmth ahead Jaime Jaquez Jr. took a cost towards him.

Anunoby finally returned to the lineup for 3 video games earlier than sitting out the previous seven, together with Sunday’s loss to Oklahoma Metropolis, whereas Randle — who continues to work out diligently however has but to progress previous doing “managed contact” exercises — has not come again since then.

Earlier than the sport, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau was requested in regards to the standing of Anunoby and Randle.

First Thibodeau was requested instantly if there was any concern Anunoby may very well be unable to return this season.

“We simply cope with actuality,” Thibodeau mentioned.

“You cope with it day-to-day. When he is sturdy sufficient, he will get on the market.”

Then, after saying each Anunoby and Randle have been kind of in the identical place of their restoration processes, he addressed Randle’s ongoing rehab scenario, which has seemingly plateaued for the previous a number of weeks. It is an damage Randle did not have surgical procedure on and is notoriously tough to cope with — significantly for a participant who performs with as bodily of a mode as Randle does.

“Simply hold doing what he is doing, day-to-day,” Thibodeau mentioned of Randle’s rehab course of. “You by no means know when it turns. That is mainly the method we take.

“Rehab is actually your sport, so put every part you will have into that. And finally you may get there; you’ll be able to’t get discouraged; simply hold working at it. The opposite guys, they’ve a job to do.”

Sunday evening, the Knicks got here heartbreakingly near profitable for a second straight sport. However whereas Friday’s loss in San Antonio was regrettable as a result of the Spurs discover themselves on the backside of the NBA standings, this one was for fully totally different causes: particularly the self-inflicted wounds New York gave itself down the stretch, together with 5 missed free throws within the closing minutes.

Three of these have been by Brunson alone, who went on to then make what seemed like it might be a game-winning layup with 4.1 seconds to go — a play that noticed Brunson, not for the primary time, tumble to the bottom in a heap and put his fingers out searching for a foul name.

“Write what you see,” Thibodeau mentioned a number of occasions in response to a number of queries about Brunson’s last shot, and whether or not a foul ought to’ve been known as on the play.”

“He mentioned it wasn’t a foul,” Brunson mentioned later, when requested what the referees mentioned about not calling a foul there. “To place it into lengthy story quick, that is what he mentioned.”

The loss saved the Knicks a half-game again of the Cleveland Cavaliers for third within the Jap Convention standings, and one sport forward of the Orlando Magic in fourth place.

Oklahoma Metropolis, in the meantime, clinched a playoff spot for the primary time since 2020 with Sunday’s victory, and in addition moved again forward of the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves for the highest spot within the Western Convention standings.

“It feels good,” Gilgeous-Alexander mentioned of the Thunder formally qualifying for the playoffs after he missed the prior two video games with a quad problem. “Probably not ‘no massive hoorah’ for me. This crew has massive targets, massive aspirations, and it is one of many issues that was on our checklist for positive. And for us to, to take action, it feels good. You do not really feel like there’s have to have a good time it.

“We’ve not actually performed something but. We simply received to maintain getting higher, and see the place it takes us.”