OG Anunoby Shares How He Suffered His Injury & Khem Birch Discusses His Injury Outlook

The Toronto Raptors are getting OG Anunoby and Khem Birch back very soon as the two discuss the impact of their injuries and what it means going forward

Aaron Rose | Dec 17, 2021

David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

OG Anunoby finally spilled the beans: It was Precious Achiuwa who accidentally ran into him in practice last month causing the hip pointer injury that's kept the Toronto Raptors star forward sidelined for the last 13 games.

There don't appear to be any hard feelings between the two as Anunoby has returned to practice and appears poised to be back on the court at some point in the coming days. The whole experience was frustrating because Anunoby wanted to get out there and support the team, he said Friday following his second straight practice.

At one point late last month Anunoby tried to work through the injury but suffered a setback and couldn't keep going.

"It gets boring sitting around, but I knew I had to be patient," he said.

Birch Nearing Return Too

Khem Birch has also been back at Raptors practice lately, having returned from knee swelling that has kept him sidelined for the last 10 games. Unfortunately for Toronto, it doesn't sound like the injury is going to go away completely.

"I'm not 100% yet, but I just feel like this is the type of injury you've got to deal with, you've got to learn how to play with the aches and the bruises a little bit. I just had two practices and I've got to get used to it," Birch said.

"It's very frustrating. At first, I thought I was 25 again, coming back after a week, but the reality hit that I'm older and you've just got to take it slowly and that's what I did this time.

"I think, given the circumstance, this is what I have to deal with and obviously it's frustrating but I've just got to deal with it."

Birch doesn't expect to be back on Saturday against the Golden State Warriors, but a return on Monday "ironically" against the team that waived him last season, the Orlando Magic, sounds more likely, he said.

Birch Nearing Return Too

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