Knicks set nine-man playoff rotation; Embiid sidelined after appendectomy; Grimes talks free agency; Raptors near postseason return
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Head coach Mike Brown confirmed Thursday that the nine players who appeared in the Knicks’ victory over the Celtics are expected to form New York’s postseason rotation.
The group features starters Karl-Anthony Towns, Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, Miles Bridges and Josh Hart, with Mitchell Robinson, Miles McBride, Landry Shamet and Jordan Clarkson coming off the bench. Brown said it is “hard to play more than nine guys” once the playoffs begin.
Veteran guard Jose Alvarado, acquired in February for two second-round picks, has been a healthy scratch in the last two games. The former Pelican said he remains patient. “I’m ready for my moment … whenever that time is, I’m ready,” Alvarado told reporters.
Embiid has emergency surgery
Sixers center Joel Embiid underwent an emergency appendectomy and is returning to Philadelphia to recover, the team announced Friday. No timetable was given for his return, complicating Philadelphia’s push for a playoff berth and its postseason outlook.
Grimes faces unrestricted free agency
Quentin Grimes accepted a one-year qualifying offer last summer and will hit the market as an unrestricted free agent in July. The guard’s role has fluctuated amid injuries elsewhere on the roster, but he called his 2025-26 campaign “solid,” saying he stayed aggressive and defended on the ball whenever called upon.
Raptors lean on Ingram, rookie Murray-Boyles
Toronto entered the season unsure of what to expect from Brandon Ingram, who missed most of last year with an ankle injury, and lottery pick Collin Murray-Boyles, considered a long-term project. Instead, Ingram delivered All-Star production and Murray-Boyles developed quickly, pushing the Raptors to the brink of their first playoff appearance since 2022.
Toronto can clinch a spot with a win over New York on Friday, but Murray-Boyles (neck sprain) and point guard Immanuel Quickley (plantar fasciitis management) have been ruled out.
Source: Hoops Rumors
