Enes Kanter’s revenge game against the New York Knicks will have to wait as the center nurses a left knee contusion.
According to the NBA’s 1:30 p.m. injury report, Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter is out for Friday’s meeting with his former team, the New York Knicks. Kanter will miss his fourth-straight game after suffering the injury in Boston’s season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Boston centers Daniel Theis and Robert Williams are also listed on the injury report as probable and doubtful, respectively.
During his two seasons with the Knicks, Kanter averaged 14.0 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. He was a double-double machine, but he was often exposed on defense with such a young team around him.
Kanter and the Knicks reached a buyout during the 2018-19 season as it became clear that the Knicks were shifting focus to develop the youth. Mitchell Robinson needed playing time to develop and Kanter found himself on the outside of the rotation.
The center signed with the Portland Trail Blazers and became a key contributor on a team that went all the way to the Western Conference Finals.
However, the Blazers and the Knicks did not meet while Kanter was on the roster. Additionally, Kanter missed Boston’s first meeting with the Knicks this season.
As a result, the next opportunity Kanter will have to face his former team won’t come until Dec. 1 in Madison Square Garden. If healthy, he’ll have plenty of motivation to stick it to the Knicks.
Boston clobbered the Knicks in their first meeting this season, outscoring the Knicks 36-19 in the fourth quarter.
