Tuesday night did not turn out to be a good one for the New York Knicks. Not only did they lose to the visiting Milwaukee Bucks, but they also saw their best player, Kristaps Porzingis, go down with a torn ACL, as well as Tim Hardaway Jr. forced to leave the game early with an injured shin.
Now, some good news has emerged as it has been reported that the 6-foot-6 shooting guard is healthy enough to play on Thursday against the Toronto Raptors, after X-rays came back negative on his lower leg. However, Enes Kanter will miss the matchup due to re-stitching of the cut in his mouth, according to Ian Begley of ESPN.
Even if the Turkish international center will not see action on Thursday night, it’s still only considered a short-term injury, and is expected to return soon. His availability is very important as the Knicks are now thin upfront with Porzingis out for the season. Kanter and Hardaway will now be the focal points of the team’s offense, along with Courtney Lee and even Michael Beasley. If they still want to make it to the playoffs, the entire lineup though should step up their games and prove that they are more than just a one-man team.
The next few outings will be very interesting ones for the Knicks, as it will determine how they’ll compensate for Porzingis’ loss. It will be a challenge for head coach Jeff Hornacek to find the best available combination for them, but if they play as a team and their players will show deep understanding of their roles, they may just surprise the basketball world and still make a run for a postseason appearance.