The New York Knicks are currently just one win away from advancing to the second round of the playoffs. They own a 3-1 series lead over the Philadelphia 76ers. Unfortunately for them, they will no longer have Bojan Bogdanovic’s services in the postseason due to injury.
New York Knicks forward Bojan Bogdanovic will undergo season-ending surgeries to repair foot and wrist injuries, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Bogdanovic played a key scoring role off the Knicks bench since coming over in deadline day trade from Detroit. pic.twitter.com/NUGrqjs6AQ
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 30, 2024
It is a tough blow for New York as their depth will further be tested. The team has only used three men off the bench in all four of their playoff games with Bogdanovic being one of them each outing. The Knicks are already down All-Star Julius Randle because of a season-ending shoulder injury in late January.
Knicks Sharpshooter to Miss the Rest of the Postseason
How Did Bogdanovic Get Hurt?
Bogdanovic barely got to break a sweat in Game 4 before he was forced to leave the game with an injury. The 35-year-old was scrambling for a loose ball with Philadelphia’s Nicolas Batum. As both dove to the floor, Batum landed awkwardly on Bogdanovic’s lower leg.
Previously it was reported that Bojan Bogdanovic had an injury with his left wrist and would possibly need surgery in the offseason. The ten-year NBA veteran was wearing a brace over that wrist during game action.
Bogdanovic was acquired along with Alec Burks by the Knicks in early February in a deal with the Detroit Pistons.
After joining the Knicks, Bogdanovic appeared in 29 regular season games all off the bench. He averaged 10.4 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 0.9 assists with the team. He shot 43.0% from the field, 37.0% from three-point territory, and 80.0% from the free throw line.
In the first three playoff games against the 76ers, Bogdanovic totaled 23 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists.
Who May Take His Place in the Rotation?
As mentioned, head coach Tom Thibodeau has only played eight players in each of the first four playoff games. After Bogdanovic got hurt early in the second quarter of Game 4, only Miles McBride and Precious Achiuwa saw more minutes off the bench.
In addition, the team was without center Mitchell Robinson for Game 4. He is listed as questionable as of this writing for Game 5. With Robinson out, Achiuwa played in Game 4 after not seeing any playing time in the first three playoff outings.
If Robinson returns, Achiuwa could be the third guy off the bench along with McBride and Robinson. The 24-year-old Achiuwa played a large role for the Knicks in the regular season after they acquired him from the Toronto Raptors. He also received important minutes for New York in Game 4.
If Robinson were to remain out, it is unclear if Thibodeau will dust someone off the bench to play or if he will play just seven guys.
The most likely to enter the rotation if Thibodeau does continue to play eight players would be Alec Burks. The 32-year-old has struggled though since joining the Knicks. In 23 regular season games, Burks shot a putrid 30.7% from the field. However, he did shoot 40.1% from beyond the arc this season for Detroit prior to being traded and is a career 38% three-point shooter.
