Why OG Anunoby's hamstring recovery more likely to take weeks, not days

Here’s what we know about OG Anunoby’s hamstring injury: he’d been getting treatment three times a day with the Knicks medical staff in Indiana. As of Sunday afternoon, Anunoby had not started running. In his pregame press conference on Sunday, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said that Anunoby was doing ‘pool work’ and not yet running.

We don’t know the severity of Anunoby's hamstring strain. But based on everything we know to this point, it’s safe to say that Anunoby is highly unlikely to play in Game 5 on Tuesday.

For more insight into Anunoby’s hamstring strain, we reached out to Dr. Guillem Gonzalez-Lomas, an Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at the Sports Medicine Center at NYU Langone Health:

SNY: Based on the timeline of Anunoby’s recovery so far, could he be cleared to play by Tuesday?

GONZALEZ-LOMAS: Based on reports that he has not been running and only doing pool work, it is unlikely that he would be cleared to play on Tuesday.

SNY: Could he be fully cleared of the hamstring strain by Friday (Game 6)?

GONZALEZ-LOMAS: Recovery from a hamstring strain is contingent on training room rehab but probably, more importantly, on time. It is impossible to predict return to play without having all of the information, including exam and imaging, but recovery from these injuries usually lies in the weeks, not days, timeframe.

SNY: Is there a minimum amount of time he should be sidelined for based on the known timeline of events/rehab?

GONZALEZ-LOMAS: Most importantly, he should not be rushed back before the muscle is ready. The zeal to return as soon as possible can create a risk for recurrence and potentially a more severe, debilitating injury. The mildest cases will sideline players for at least 1-2 weeks, if not longer.

SNY? Can you share any insight on the degree of the strain based on the known timeline of events/rehab?

GONZALEZ-LOMAS: Muscle injury severity is determined by MRI and/or ultrasound and the player's symptoms and strength. Within those parameters, the medical staff will be working to minimize the recovery time. Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts and the body needs to do the lion's share of healing itself.