The back end of the Knicks frontcourt could be shorthanded for their pivotal Game 6 matchup against the Celtics on Friday night. The team announced reserve center Precious Achiwua as a new add to the team’s injury report, listing him as questionable for Friday’s showdown at Madison Square Garden due to a sprained ankle.
Achiwua hw as appeared in four games during the second round series against Boston but has played just 15 minutes total. He’s primarily been an option when the Knicks usual rotation bigs (Karl-Anthony Towns, Mitchell Robinson) have dealt with foul trouble. It’s unclear when Achiwua suffered the injury but he did play three minutes in garbage time during the Knicks 127-102 loss in Game 5.
The Celtics have no one listed on their injury report for Game 6 outside of Jayson Tatum (Achilles) as they look to push the series to seven games after falling down 3-1 after Game 4. Sam Hauser returned from an ankle sprain in Game 5, scoring six points in 15 minutes and was removed from the injury report entirely for Game 6. Kristaps Porzingis is also not listed even though he was hampered by lingering effects of an illness in Game 5 that ultimately led to a second half benching after 12 first half minutes.
“He couldn’t breathe,” Joe Mazzulla said. “So he was available if absolutely necessary. So that was just a decision between me and him. He was having difficulties breathing, but he wanted to be out there. And if we absolutely needed him, we would have been able to go to him and rely on him.”
The Celtics and Knicks will tip off at 8 p.m. Friday night in Madison Square Garden as the Knicks look to punch their ticket to the East Finals for the first time in 25 years.
