The New York Knicks are facing the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday, and they had to deal with an early injury scare to Nerlens Noel. With starting center Mitchell Robinson already out, losing Noel too would be a detrimental loss.
Lucky, it appears Noel is going to be okay after hurting his hand in the first quarter. Here's a highlight of the play:
Looks like Noel banged his wrist on the rim going for the block pic.twitter.com/01eI5kCesP
— The Knicks Wall (@TheKnicksWall) April 18, 2021
Noel went down in pain and ultimately went to the locker room, only to be ruled available to return with a bruised right hand. He returned to the game in the second quarter and made some noise:
Nerlens Noel is back to doing his thing after the injury scare.
Glad that hand is all good, big fella 👊pic.twitter.com/HYx1JFTxBZ
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) April 18, 2021
Currently sitting in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, the Knicks need everyone on the team if they hope to clinch a playoff berth. Only 1.5 games ahead of the Miami Heat, they're barely over the mark to avoid the play-in tournament.
With Robinson out, Noel has been an integral part of New York's rotation this season. Entering play Sunday, the 27-year-old was averaging 5.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 23.3 minutes per game. That elite rim projection has been huge in helping the Knicks boast one of the best defenses in the NBA.
New York is attempting to make the playoffs for the first time since 2013. As for the Pelicans, they currently rank 11th in the Western Conference, and they're aiming to steal a win against New York to better their chances of participating in the play-in tournament.
Follow Us
Subscribe