Knicks lose primary bench scorer Bojan Bogdanovic to season-ending injury

Even though Mitchell Robinson made his way back to court after missing Game 4 with a sprained left ankle, the Knicks received bad news before the start of their match against Philadelphia. The team announced that Bojan Bogdanovic would have surgery on the left foot he injured in his last appearance and would miss out on the rest of the season. 

“Really unfortunate. He was really playing well for us,” coach Tom Thibodeau said when asked about the news. “Injuries are part of the game. Great game. Great worker…. Just unfortunate.”

This means that New York has lost their primary bench scorer for the remainder of the playoffs, as the Bosnian will be “re-evaluated in three months,” while he recovers from this surgery to his left foot. 

With the surgery today & summer trade season ahead, Bojan Bogdanovic has probably played his last game as a Knick.

Thank you Bo pic.twitter.com/iMwQXq5q3b

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) April 30, 2024

“You hate to see anyone get hurt. But it’s been our reality all season. Julius being out. Mitch being out. Isaiah [Hartenstein] being out [with Achilles tendinitis],” the Knicks tactician added. “Next guy get in there and get the job done, that’s what we’ve got to do.”

The bad news didn’t stop there for the Manhattan club, as they lost Game 5 of the first-round series against the Sixers, just as they were ready to celebrate their advancement to the Eastern Conference’s semifinals at Madison Square Garden.

However, 76ers Tyrese Maxey spoiled the party with a clutch three pointer that took the game to overtime and eventually to victory. The All-Star guard ended the contest with 46 points to his name. “Going through my mind right there was just, find a way to survive,” he recalled of those last seconds before tying the game. “Like, we had to. Our season on the line.” 

“It was a tough way to lose because you get up six, eight and then we had a couple turnovers and we’ve got to just be better,” said Knicks coach Thibodeau. “Play tougher with the lead, use good judgement. Fourth quarter is different, understand the difference. So we can do better and we will.”

Team star Joel Embiid said he isn’t intimidated by the MSG crowd and believes his team can advance to the next round

Reigning MVP Joel Embiid, who posted 19 points, 16 rebounds, 10 assists and 4 blocks, said he’s excited to return to MSG at least one more time. “It’s not hostile,” the big man assured, despite being yelled all kinds of names from the New York crowd.

“I mean, I love New York. New York is one of my favorite cities in the world. I have (had) a place here for the past five years. I just love New York. And then the fans, when you play against a team, they’re always going to pick that guy and they seem to have picked me, which is fun. I love it,” the big man said.

76ers tactician Nick Nurse recalled encouraging the Maxey to take chances during the match, as his team trailed during great part of the game. “I think that considering that our No. 1 option was struggling, for him to say, ‘All right, I got to put this team on my back and go,’”.

“I just kept encouraging him, like, to take his chances, take his shots, make plays,” the coach continued. “And he certainly did it and got in a rhythm and made a whole bunch of them.”