Prior to Sunday's game against the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden, New York Knicks center Enes Kanter limped into the arena with a pair of crutches. After he badly hurt his hip the night before in a loss to the Chicago Bulls, Kanter battled through the pain and was actually able to start the game at center and score eight points in 18 minutes.
Per Fred Kerber of the New York Post:
“If you’re going to make the playoffs, you’re going to make some sacrifices,” Kanter said. “I was in pain but [the doctors] just literally said, ‘Hey, if you want to play, we’re not going to say don’t play.’
“They just say, ‘OK, it’s your decision.’”
A few of Kanter's teammates took notice of the center's determination to play in Sunday's game just one day after his hip injury. All three of the players who spoke about Kanter were the only Knicks to score in double figures in that game.
“This guy came on crutches today. I’ve never seen anything like that,” Knicks star power forward Kristaps Porzingis said, who scored a game-high 30 points. “He was able to play, starting the game. That guy is unbelievable. He’s a warrior.”
Knicks small forward Doug McDermott, who came off the bench to score 23 points in 31 minutes of action, helped Enes Kanter walk from his car to his room the night before.
“I gave him a ride home last night at about 3 a.m. when I got in, and pulling the crutches out of my car and helping him to his room, there’s no way this guy’s playing, but he’s a warrior,” McDermott said.
Starting point guard Jarrett Jack, who had 19 points and four assists against Atlanta, was amazed by what Kanter was able to do for the Knicks on Sunday.
“He’s the first guy I’ve ever seen come to a game on crutches and still start the game and he’s about to leave on crutches,” Jack said. “I’ve never seen that before in my 13 years in the league.”
Enes Kanter may not be the biggest or one of the best centers in the NBA, but he seems to be a great teammate who will stand up to pretty much anyone. For example, just take the whole situation he had with Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron James while sticking up for Knicks rookie Frank Ntilikina.
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