Knicks Offer Positive Update on Injured Forward

The New York Knicks had a Precious update to offer before embarking on an offensive conquest of the Denver Nuggets on Monday night.

Per James L. Edwards III of The Athletic, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau revealed that injured reserve Precious Achiuwa “is pretty much doing everything now,” hinting at the interior threat’s impending return. Achiuwa has yet to play this season after enduring a hamstring issue in the exhibition slate’s final in Charlotte last month.

Monday’s 145-118 demolition of Denver notwithstanding, the Knicks have certainly missed Achiuwa’s services as a depth star, which were on pure display after he and OG Anunoby arrived from Toronto in a late December trade. The initial diagnosis for Achiuwa upon his injury was a re-evaluation in two-to-four weeks.

In 49 showings with the Knicks (including 18 starts), Achiuwa averaged a career-best 7.2 rebounds and shot over 52 percent from the floor. He was re-signed in the latter stages of the offseason, shortly before the Knicks added current starting center Karl-Anthony Towns in a trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

With both Achiuwa and Mitchell Robinson out, the Knicks (10-7) have used the tenured Jericho Sims as Towns’ top spell option with feelting minutes also distributed to rookie Ariel Hukporti. Despite Towns’ best efforts, the Knicks’ rebounding has taken a bit of a hit this season as they deal with the absences but they’re allowing the fewest boards in the league entering an idle Tuesday.

Edwards noted that Thibodeau also had an update … or lack thereof … on Robinson, who is “still in the rehab process.” Robinson is not expected back until January but offered a lingering hint of early inclusion when he posted a Christmas wishlist on his Instagram story.

Both Achiuwa and Robinson have been traveling on the Knicks’ ongoing Western visits, which wrap on Wednesday when they face the Dallas Mavericks (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).

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