The Knicks already knew Julius Randle would be sidelined Tuesday night, but import winger OG Anunoby also missed his second straight game against the Jazz at the Garden.
Anunoby is dealing with a sore elbow, and Randle is expected to miss several weeks with a dislocated right shoulder.
“OG is out. … He’s not ready yet. And we’re still waiting for information on Julius,” coach Tom Thibodeau said before the game.
“It’s just an inflammation and I hope it subsides,” Thibodeau said of Anunoby. Asked if he was worried, he replied, “I’m worried about everything.”
The Knicks coach said he would like to get a clearer deadline on Randle “maybe within a day or two.”
“To me, that’s just speculation, and I don’t want to do that,” Thibodeau said. “So let them gather all the information and then he’s going to gather our medical personnel as well. And they’ll come up with a good plan going forward. So we’ll take care of it.” I think that’s the wise thing to do.”
Thibodeau was asked before the game if he believed in the Knicks, as he often talks about a player’s “impact on winning” when asked about being named an All-Star. The Knicks started 13-2 through January since Anunoby and entered the season with a 30-17 record. Arrivals — could land two picks this year. Randle was selected twice and then had to be replaced due to injury, while point guard Jalen Brunson was announced as a reserve on Thursday night and is likely to receive his first career designation.
“I’m looking forward to it,” said Thibodeau, whose coaching staff was not allowed to choose his own players when filling out the roster. “The difficult thing for coaches is there are a lot of players who are having great years and deserve it, but there aren’t enough spots.
“When you get down to it, you try to weigh it up and that’s what sways your vote. You tend to use it, but what effect does it have on winning? [Voting], not very interesting. There are a lot of players who have had great years and there are a lot of players who deserve it. I always felt like the All-Star Game was for the fans, and that’s what makes it so exciting. ”
Veteran guard Evan Fournier sat out due to personal reasons.
