Knicks Get Huge OG Anunoby Injury Update Ahead of ECF Game 1 vs. Cavaliers

The New York Knicks may have just received their biggest win of the postseason.

After days of uncertainty surrounding OG Anunoby's hamstring injury, ESPN insider Shams Charania delivered the clearest update yet Monday on “The Pat McAfee Show.”

Anunoby is expected to be ready for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, tipping off on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.

“You’re going to have a little bit of rust maybe to start, but OG Anunoby is going to be playing in Game 1,” Charania said. “He suffered a low-grade hamstring strain against the Sixers, missed the last two games of that series. Thankfully for them, it was a sweep, allowed him to rest. And now, because they were able to get even more additional days, he’s going to be good to go for Game 1 tomorrow night.”

That is a major development for a Knicks team preparing for its biggest series in decades.

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Anunoby suffered a low-grade right hamstring strain during Game 2 of New York's second-round series against Philadelphia.

Hamstring injuries in the playoffs tend to trigger alarms immediately, especially for Anunoby, whose postseason history already includes a devastating hamstring setback that derailed a previous run.

The Knicks played it cautiously, holding him out for the final two games against the 76ers, both of which New York won on the road in Philadelphia.

Recent signs had been encouraging, including full practice participation after limited sessions last week.

But Charania's update shifts the conversation from "questionable" to near certainty.

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Before the injury, Anunoby had been playing some of the best playoff basketball of his career, bringing elite perimeter defense while producing efficient scoring and floor spacing.

His ability to guard multiple positions changes how New York can attack Cleveland's stars, whether that means throwing length at Donovan Mitchell, switching across wings, or giving the Knicks flexibility to avoid overloading Jalen Brunson on both ends.

If Anunoby proves he can stay healthy, it immediately improves the Knicks’ chances of not just winning their series against the Cavs, but capturing their first NBA title in 53 years.

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This story was originally published May 18, 2026 at 1:44 PM.