In the Eastern Conference semifinal series between the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers, both teams faced injuries to key players. The Knicks' OG Anunoby and Josh Hart were listed as questionable for Game 7 due to hamstring strains and an abdominal strain, respectively.
OG Anunoby had been out since Game 2 with a left hamstring strain, but he had averaged 16.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, and made an impact defensively with his blocks and steals in the eight playoff games he played this season.
The Knicks were also without All-Star forward Julius Randle and key reserves Mitchell Robinson and Bojan Bogdanovic due to injuries.
Josh Hart had sustained an abdominal strain in Game 6, which forced him to leave the game. He had played all 48 minutes three times in the postseason and was leading all players in minutes played before his injury.
Despite these injuries, both Anunoby and Hart were cleared to play for Game 7. The Knicks' record with Anunoby on the floor was an impressive 26-5 (playoffs included).
The Pacers, on the other hand, had Pascal Siakam as a potential matchup for Anunoby if he played.
In Game 7, Anunoby only played less than five minutes in the first half due to his hamstring injury. He was replaced by Miles McBride and did not return for the remainder of the first half.
The Knicks' success without Anunoby and Hart highlighted their depth and resilience as they sought to advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2000.
