It was OG Anunoby's second game back from injury and so far, things look steady on the offensive end. Against the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, the forward tallied a near-double-double of 12 points and nine rebounds to help the New York Knicks earn a 105-93 victory. Still, there were moments on the court that put the New York fandom in a state of worry.

In the outing versus Portland, Anunoby was visibly seen holding on to his surgically repaired elbow while grimacing in pain. This was brought up to coach Tom Thibodeau, who made it clear that the forward's ordeal was expected to happen.

“Stuff like that is gonna happen,” Thibodeau said, per The Athletic's Fred Katz. “We were expecting there to be bumps and bruises like that.”

Prior to his return two days ago, Anunoby missed more than a month of games after undergoing surgery to remove a bone fragment from his right elbow. In his comeback game against the Philadelphia 76ers this past Tuesday, the British forward managed 14 points and four rebounds.

OG Anunoby: The New York Knicks' defensive ace

New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) dunks the ball during the second half against the Miami Heat at Madison Square Garden.
Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
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Anunoby was traded to the Knicks late in December and has been a key piece in New York's ongoing campaign. Averaging 15.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game this season, the 26-year-old is the Knicks' primary defender, tasked to guard the league's best scorers every game. While playing for the Toronto Raptors during the 2022-23 season, Anunoby's defensive prowess was highlighted by his 128 total steals — first in the entire league.

The forward's impact on the court is one of the biggest reasons why the Knicks only allow 14.8 opponent points off turnovers (6th) and 12.0 opponent second-chance points per game (2nd). In addition, the Knicks give up just 46.8 opponent points in the paint per game (4th). Alongside Josh Hart and Isaiah Hartenstein, Anunoby is one of several scrappy workhorses on the Knicks' frontcourt.

He's already scoring in double-digits with a still-bothersome elbow. Once the pain fully subsides, OG Anunoby's impact will be even greater for the Knicks.