Kristaps Porzingis Will Miss Carmelo Anthony’s Return To New York Due To A Sore Knee


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The matchup between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the New York Knicks is the centerpiece of the NBA’s schedule on Saturday evening, as it will mark the first time Carmelo Anthony returned to the Big Apple after getting traded. Unfortunately, the guy who replaced Anthony as the Knicks’ biggest star will not be part of the proceedings.

New York’s PR account announced that Kristaps Porzingis is officially out on Saturday night due to soreness in his left knee.

It’s an unlucky turn of events for the Knicks, as Porzingis is their best player and would have absolutely made this game a little more fun. However, it’s not a massive surprise that he will be sidelined after suffering the injury on Thursday night.

Porzingis hurt his knee against the Brooklyn Nets while contesting a Rondae Hollis-Jefferson shot. It was a non-contact injury that left him hobbled, so he went to the bench and eventually had to be ushered into the locker room. The good news was that he didn’t suffer a serious injury — he was listed as day-to-day and was able to walk without any help after the game — but it was still a possibility that he’d be unable to go on Saturday.

This isn’t the only major frontcourt injury that will impact the game, as the Thunder will be without starting center Steven Adams.

The Porzingis-Adams matchup would have like been awesome, so it’s unfortunate we won’t get the chance to watch them go head-to-head. Even if the game should still be exciting due to Anthony’s return, losing two of the best young big men in the league is not ideal.

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