I enter tonight’s game more calm and serene than any other game this postseason. And I don’t particularly think I’m the only Knicks fan who feels that way. For many, the last 36 hours involved being an involuntary passenger on a roller coaster ride of emotions.
After seeing the Knicks win an ugly and gritty Game 2, the win almost felt meaningless due to the large void left by the uncertainty surrounding OG Anunoby’s injury. His suffering a significant injury would be a gutshot to fans, and a death
sentence for a Knicks championship run.
Following hours and hours of refreshing social media feeds, trying not to have PTSD from Anunoby’s hamstring injury in 2024, and role-playing as an orthopedic doctor, fans let out a collective sigh of relief when reports started surfacing that Anunoby’s hamstring strain was mild and that he was just day-to-day.
Because fans, for the most part, were expecting the worst, his diagnosis feels like a bullet dodged, making tonight’s game against the 76ers somehow feel less dire. That being said, it’s still a road playoff game against a desperate and hungry rival looking to claw themselves back into the series. A loss tonight means a little less room for error moving forward, while also giving Philadelphia a bit more confidence and momentum. Meanwhile, a win tonight would buy them, and more specifically, Anunoby, more time.
While the weight and emotions going into the game may feel different, the significance of the game doesn’t change. Nick Nurse and the 76ers will continue to change some things up. They’ll likely be better prepared to deal with the aggressive trapping of Tyrese Maxey. They’ll also likely double down on pressuring Jalen Brunson now with OG Anunoby out. And as backup point guard Kyle Lowry mentioned, they’ll make sure to pressure Karl-Anthony Towns more on the perimeter.
Unlike the fans, though, the Knicks likely aren’t going into this game as though they have multiple lives. While human nature may take over and give them at least a slight sense of relief, these Knicks have displayed more sense of urgency and focus since their Game 3 loss to the Hawks in the last round. From Brunson, Towns, and Mikal Bridges, who have been playing incredibly well, to bench players Deuce McBride, Landry Shamet, Jordan Clarkson, and Jose Alvarado, along with the now probable Josh Hart, and Mitchell Robinson, this team should come into the game ready to compete.
Whether they win or not is still up in the air, but they have the depth, offensive firepower, and defense to defeat what is still a fatigued and very thin 76ers team.
Prediction
If Joel Embiid is out again tonight, which I suspect will be the case with the Knicks being sans Anunoby, I expect another close back-and-forth affair between these two teams. I do think the 76ers will come up hot, much like they did in Game 1. They’ll be back home, knowing they are a loss away from going down 3-0, and will also know that the Knicks are wounded, missing one of, if not, their best postseason performers.
But this battle-tested Knicks have been like roaches, and I mean that in the most endearing way someone can use that word. Even when they look tired, or out of sorts, or are just not executing well, they have a remarkable tendency to always give themselves a chance. They’ve got the will and the grit that cannot be quantified by counting stats or analytics. And I think that bodes well for them tonight in a game where things may not go their way. But unlike the last time Anunoby missed a postseason game with a hamstring injury, this team also has depth.
McBride, Shamet, Clarkson, Robinson, and even Mo Diawara have all had huge moments for this team this season and have won multiple games. Replacing Anunoby with one player will be impossible. But they might just be able to recreate him in the aggregate (yes, that was a Moneyball reference).
Knicks win: 105–102
Game Details
Who: New York Knicks (2-0) vs Philadelphia 76ers (0-2)
Date: Friday, May 8, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM ET
Place: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, PA
TV: Prime Video
Follow: @ptknicksblog and bsky
