CLEVELAND — OG Anunoby’s long-awaited return didn’t go so well. The forward, who missed the previous five games with a sprained right foot, scored just five points in 27 minutes and couldn’t help a Knicks defense that was crushed Friday night by the Cavaliers, 142-105 . Head coach Tom Thibodeau said he expected a bumpy performance.

The New York Knicks have been without a backup center for the entirety of the 2024-25 so far. That’s 54 games without sufficient depth at a key position. And while Karl-Anthony Towns has played more than valiantly (and made a decent case for first team All-NBA),

The Knicks, who are third in the Eastern Conference, will return from the NBA All-Star break with 28 games remaining and a nice cushion in the standings. They’ll also return to one of the toughest stretches in their schedule.