If the Knicks had beaten Chicago on Friday, they would be in third place in the conference, one game behind the second-place Bucks.
Instead, they will head to fifth-place Milwaukee on Sunday with five games left in the regular season. It’s not ideal.
But in an overall sense, the Knicks had a great night on Friday.
OG Anunoby played for the first time in three weeks. He will need more time to get back to full fitness. But just having Anunoby back on the court is a win for the Knicks.
He has played only four games since January 27 due to elbow problems. In a perfect world for the Knicks, he will play the final five games and be in a good position entering the postseason.
The Knicks have reason to be optimistic that Anunoby will acclimate quickly.
New York won 12 of their first 14 games with Anunoby in the lineup in January.