Knicks’ Precious Achiuwa remains out as Jericho Sims’ woes have lingered

Precious Achiuwa hasn’t played this season, and that won’t alteration against Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Achiuwa was ruled retired of Friday’s crippled pinch nan aforesaid hamstring strain he suffered successful nan preseason finale Oct. 18.

In his absence — which will deed astatine slightest 8 consecutive games — nan Knicks person leaned heavy connected Jericho Sims arsenic nan lone frontcourt reserve successful an eight-man rotation.

That’s been a mixed bag.

Although nan Knicks won Sims’ minutes nan past 2 games, he’s been constricted offensively pinch conscionable six changeable attempts successful 94 full minutes this season.

Achiuwa is much of a powerfulness guardant than a halfway and doesn’t group screens arsenic powerful arsenic Sims, but nan 25-year-old from Nigeria was nan first frontcourt subordinate disconnected nan chair until his wounded and adds a shotmaking constituent that’s been missing from nan inside.

In nan past update from coach Tom Thibodeau earlier this week, Achiuwa was making “steady progress” toward his return but hadn’t been cleared for a afloat practice.

The original wounded announcement said Achiuwa would beryllium evaluated successful 2 to 4 weeks, which was 2 ½ weeks ago.

He has not been made disposable to nan media.

Achiuwa averaged 9.4 points and 7.2 rebounds successful 24.6 minutes complete 4 games successful nan preseason.

Cam Payne, who besides is dealing pinch a hamstring strain, is listed arsenic questionable for nan Bucks game.

He’s missed 2 games successful a statement and was replaced successful nan rotation by rookie Tyler Kolek, who played good successful Wednesday’s nonaccomplishment to nan Hawks pinch six points and an assistance successful 9 minutes.

Antetokounmpo was listed arsenic questionable pinch an adductor strain earlier playing successful Thursday’s Bucks crippled against nan Jazz.

Josh Hart picked up his 2nd method successful arsenic galore games for arguing pinch nan refs and acknowledged he needs to chill.

“Yeah, I mean, extremity of nan day, I’ve sewage to beryllium much composed,” Hart said pursuing Wednesday’s defeat. “First 1 past crippled [in Houston], they missed a telephone and [referee] Tyler Ford came to maine and said, ‘I missed that call.’

“Today, I felt for illustration it was nan aforesaid way. It doesn’t matter nan measurement nan crippled was being officiated. I can’t fto that dictate my power level aliases my mood. Especially a crippled for illustration this. It’s a adjacent game. That constituent is huge. So I’ve sewage to beryllium amended pinch controlling that and being much composed successful those situations.”

Hart was upset successful Atlanta that location wasn’t a foul called arsenic he converted a layup done contact. He led nan Knicks successful techs past play pinch seven.

After building an personality past play astir violative rebounding, nan Knicks were punished connected nan solid successful Atlanta and moreover gave up a committee connected a Hawks free propulsion successful a pivotal possession.

“Probably our rebounding,” Thibodeau lamented arsenic nan biggest problem down nan stretch.

The Knicks, who led nan NBA successful violative rebounding past play pinch astir 13 per game, mislaid that conflict to nan Hawks, 16-7.

A driblet successful that area was expected aft nan Knicks fundamentally swapped Isaiah Hartenstein for Karl-Anthony Towns astatine center.

“I’ve sewage to do a amended occupation getting nan rebounds, instilling nan power from nan start,” Towns said. “We came retired sluggish. One of nan things I’ve sewage to ever do is instill power into nan game, and I came retired sluggish. I return work and accountability for that. These guys activity highly hard. Our guards are moving tremendously difficult each nighttime pinch nan matchups pinch nan measurement we are playing defense. I’ve sewage to do better.”