The injury updates for the Knicks have been a bit alarming lately, but it seems there’s a glimmer of hope. Karl-Anthony Towns, dealing with a torn right quadriceps muscle, was initially marked as questionable right before their season opener against the Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden. He had already missed the last two preseason games.
Shortly thereafter, he was upgraded to “suspicious,” which is, well, a little unusual.
Despite the ups and downs of his injury status, it appears Towns is likely to play, according to reports. Meanwhile, the Knicks are also without Josh Hart, who is dealing with lumbar spasms, and Mitchell Robinson, managing his left ankle injury.
Robinson’s situation raises eyebrows, especially since he’s had two surgeries on that ankle in the last couple of years and missed a significant portion of the previous season.
If Towns had been added to the list of absentees, it would have made Mike Brown’s coaching debut quite challenging.
Last season, Towns had a fairly solid run with the Knicks, appearing in 72 regular-season games and playing through a left index finger injury lingering into the playoffs.
However, both teams are facing injuries in what is being touted as a critical matchup for Eastern Conference supremacy. For the Cavaliers, Darius Garland and Max Strus are still working their way back from offseason surgeries, and DeAndre Hunter’s status is uncertain.
The Knicks will have to rely on their depth while missing Hart and Robinson and possibly limiting Towns. They’ve made some key moves to bolster their bench this year, signing Jordan Clarkson and Gershon Yabusele, while also bringing back Landry Shamet. The plan was for Hart to step into a starting role, paired with a fully healthy Robinson, but those expectations might need to be adjusted.
Without Robinson, Brown has some choices regarding the lineup. They could shift Towns to the center position and place OG Anunoby at power forward, inserting Shamet into the starting five. Alternatively, they might put Ariel Hukporti at center instead. Yabusele could also fit in at power forward with Towns remaining at center.
