The final weeks of the NBA season have been a war of attrition for the New York Knicks. They are dealing with injuries to several key members of their lineup, as Mitchell Robinson, Julius Randle and OG Anunoby are all dealing with long-term injuries.
Robinson has not played since December 8 after undergoing ankle surgery. Randle was injured on January 27 while playing against the Miami Heat when he suffered a separated shoulder.
Anunoby was dealing with an elbow issue, which required surgery. He missed 18 games from January 27th onwards, before being able to return to the field for three. But his return was short-lived, as he was sidelined again due to his elbow.
With their depth already tested, the Knicks could find themselves without another rotation piece Monday night against the Detroit Pistons. According to Tommy Beer on X, reserve guard Alec Burks has been downgraded to questionable as he deals with a sprained right shoulder.
That could explain some of the problems Burks has had since he returned to the Knicks via a deal with the Pistons before the NBA trade deadline. He was the league’s least effective shooter as the only qualifying player to shoot less than 33% from the field, 30% from 3-point range and 70% from the foul line since the deadline.