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Og Anunoby #8 of the New York Knicks reacts during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Madison Square Garden on January 30, 2026 in New York City.
Defensive ace OG Anunoby missed his fourth consecutive game with a toenail avulsion when the New York Knicks drubbed the Philadelphia 76ers, 138-89, in the final fixture before the All-Star break.
Although head coach Mike Brown has “no timeline” for Anunoby’s return, per The Athletic’s James L. Edwards III, the positive news is the Knicks are listing him as “day-to-day” in their injury report, which bodes well for his chances to return in the first game after the All-Star break against the Detroit Pistons on Feb. 19.
The other good news for the Knicks is that they went 2-2 in the four games without Anunoby, their best perimeter defender and arguably their second-best player.
Mike Brown said he has no timetable on OG’s injury. He’s day-to-day.
Knicks characterize OG Anunoby (toe) as ‘day-to-day’
OG Anunoby Injury News
Much of that credit goes to rookie Mohamed Diawara, who has averaged 7.8 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists in the last four games without Anunoby. The 6-foot-9 forward has provided great energy and hustle to the Knicks while tallying 21.5 minutes per game. In Wednesday’s win over the Sixers, he had 14 points, five rebounds and two assists, while shooting an impressive 4-of-8 from three.
Knicks captain Jalen Brusnon had high praise for Diawara after the rookie shot 4-of-4 from the field in the win over the Celtics earlier this week.
“Playing pickup before preseason, I could see he was really good and really smart and talented,” Brunson said of Diawara, via Liam Willerup of Roundtable.
“So, I’m not surprised of what he’s been able to do when given the opportunity. He’s really coachable; he listens…He’s great. He’s been working really hard. This is only the beginning for him.”
51st pick in the draft Mohamed Diawara tonight:
14 points
5-10 FG
4-8 three
5 rebounds
2 assists
1 steal
+19 in 20 minutes
Knicks Need OG Anunoby
During that win over the Celtics, Diawara also showed his high defensive potential by making life difficult for Payton Pritchard and Jaylen Brown. He was awarded the team’s “defensive player of the game” — an internal award introduced by Mike Brown.
“It was tough because they’re both great players, but I was ready to take the challenge to guard them,” Diawara said of guarding Brown and Pritchard.
“And I was happy the coaches put me on them because that means they think I’m a great defender, and I appreciate it.”
While Diawara has done really well in his limited role as a rookie, there’s no doubt the Knicks need a healthy OG Anunoby in the final leg of the regular season and the playoffs. His absence was very much palpable in the losses to the Indiana Pacers and the Detroit Pistons this past week. In the loss to Indiana, Pascal Siakam dropped 30 points and got to the rim at will, something that wouldn’t have happened if Anunoby was his matchup. Similarly, in the loss to Detroit, a two-way player like Daniss Jenkins exploited holes in New York’s defense, as did Tobias Harris and other wing players.
Anunoby is averaging 16.6 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.7 steals and 0.7 blocks this season, while making 2.1 threes per game at 37% shooting. He’s widely regarded as one of the elite 3-and-D players in the league.
OG Anunoby is missing his fourth straight game for NY. First it was toe soreness now it’s a toenail avulsion.
According to Google & My Health Alberta regarding toe avulsions:
“A right toe, or any toenail, avulsion usually takes 3 to 6 weeks for the raw nail bed to heal over.… https://t.co/dI1G3DENi7 pic.twitter.com/4ef16Xv7uP
— The Knicks Recap (@TheKnicksRecap) February 11, 2026
Sai Mohan covers the NBA for Heavy.com. Based in Portugal, Sai is a seasoned sports writer with nearly two decades of publishing experience, including bylines at Yardbarker, FanSided’s Hoops Habit, International Business Times, Hindustan Times and more. More about Sai Mohan
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