Isaiah Hartenstein's streak as an Ironman is officially over, but his replacements put in very capable performances.
Jericho Sims and Precious Achiuwa have been a great duo at center for the Knicks.
Hartenstein was ruled out of Tuesday's game against the Nets due to inflammation and soreness in his Achilles tendon, an injury that has plagued him since at least last season.
The 25-year-old had played in 164 consecutive games, including Saturday when he aggravated the injury against the Raptors.
Jericho Sims, who hasn't played much this season, started in his place at Barclays Center and had four blocks in the first quarter, notching meaningful playing time since spraining his ankle in December. It built confidence for players who didn't have it before.
Achiuwa played the fourth quarter as a backup, and the Knicks made a furious comeback to win 108-103.
“[They were] It’s amazing,” Julius Randle said. “Precious gave us a great time. Jericho gave us a great time. Protecting the rim. Jericho was great in the first half protecting the rim. He was in the right spots, Just being able to rebound the ball and get extra possessions is valuable. Defensive guards. All that kind of stuff. It gave us versatility.”
It is unclear how long it will take to transport this cargo.
Tom Thibodeau said Hartenstein is considered “everyday.”
Hartenstein dealt with Achilles tendon pain for much of last season, but did not miss a game. Hartenstein told the Post that due to the health of his Achilles tendon, he turned down the opportunity to represent Germany at the FIBA World Cup this summer.
“I wasn't injured. I just wanted to make sure I was fully healthy for next season,” Hartenstein said at the beginning of this season.
Supermodel and TV personality Tyra Banks appeared courtside at Barclays Center on Tuesday with two people dressed as neon wolves.
People in furry costumes began stroking each other, with Banks in between them, as cameras in the arena showed them. A Nets spokesperson said the show was being filmed. At halftime, everyone gave up their seats and left.
“no, [they weren’t distracting]” said Josh Hart. “But I thought, 'What are they?'
Thibodeau didn't seem all that surprised that the Bucks fired Adrian Griffin on Tuesday, just 43 games into his tenure as head coach, as a result of what was essentially a shaky business.
“Every organization has its own philosophy,” Thibodeau said. “You go through different things throughout the season. So you can't really judge other organizations unless you're there. Nobody really knows,” Thibodeau said. “If you're asking me specifically about Adrian, I've coached him, I've had him on my staff, and I know he's a high-quality character. I know. I know he's a great teacher. I know all of those things. So it's unfortunate, but that's what we do.”
