Rival injury fears are exactly what the Knicks want to avoid this season

The New York Knicks suffered repeated injuries last season. Mitchell Robinson’s ankle surgery in December was a taste of what was to come. Things looked great for the Knicks in January after trading OG Anunoby (even with Robinson sidelined), but the end of the month changed everything.

New York was without Julius Randle in the 2024 playoffs. Anunoby, Robinson and Bojan Bogdanovic also missed time in the postseason. Jalen Brunson broke his hand in a Game 7 loss to the Pacers in the Knicks’ final game of the season. Luck wasn’t on New York’s side.

The Knicks hoped to start a new chapter this season, but will be without Robinson until at least January. His status and Isaiah Hartenstein’s departure prompted New York to trade for Karl-Anthony Towns. Fans don’t want to talk about it, but KAT has a concerning injury history, as does OG Anunoby, who signed a five-year deal in free agency.

It’s impossible to stay healthy in an 82-game season. The players are not at 100 percent when the playoffs start. Winning an NBA championship requires almost as much luck as it does skill. Injuries can derail a season.

Sixers fans know a thing or two about it. Joel Embiid is the face of the franchise and played in 39 games last season. Philadelphia signed Paul George to a maximum four-year contract in free agency. The 34-year-old is at the end of his NBA career and prone to injuries, but he played in 74 games in his final season with the Clippers.

Signing PG13 was necessary for Philadelphia but could come back to haunt the front office. It’s hard to imagine George and Embiid staying healthy for most of the season. Embiid said Monday that he likely won’t play back-to-back games for the rest of his career. The goal is to have the big man healthy when the postseason begins.

It’s still preseason and the Sixers are already dealing with an injury scare. In Monday’s game against the Hawks, George suffered a non-contracted injury in the first quarter. He did not play in the second half because, according to the team, his left knee was hyperextended. After the game, he told the Philadelphia Inquirer that he wasn’t too worried about it (subscription required).

On Tuesday, Nick Nurse said George would undergo “further imaging” this afternoon. Nurse said he doesn’t know if PG13 will miss the start of the regular season, but that he won’t play in Wednesday’s preseason game against the Nets.

Managing the health of George and Embiid will be a challenge for Philadelphia. The Sixers have added depth this offseason, but if one (or both) gets injured, it will be difficult to stay at the top of the league. It’s a miracle that the Knicks ended up in second place in the East because of their injuries last season.

Knicks fans have an endless list of reasons why they don’t like the Sixers, but those reasons aren’t enough to hold out hope for Philadelphia dealing with a serious injury this season. Hopefully George’s injury doesn’t prove to be serious. New York should want to beat Philadelphia at its best.