Monday brought optimistic injury news in two different ways for the Knicks. 

Head coach Tom Thibodeau described OG Anunoby’s foot injury as a “mild sprain” before their clash against the Rockets Monday night at Madison Square Garden.

The team is considering him day to day and will see how he responds to treatment. 

That should come as a sigh of relief, as Anunoby’s noncontact injury appeared serious.

While receiving a pass and preparing to shoot during the loss to the Lakers on Saturday, Anunoby fell to one knee and grabbed his right foot in pain. 

Thibodeau, who is often coy about injuries, said Anunoby has received an MRI exam and that it was premature to determine his status for Tuesday’s clash against the Raptors in Toronto.

That the Knicks are still calling it a “mild sprain” after the MRI indicates it’s not as severe as originally feared, though. 

The Knicks struggled last year during both the regular season and playoffs when Anunoby — who signed the biggest contract in franchise history — was out.

He is averaging 16.4 points and 4.7 rebounds per game this year and is the team’s best defender, often guarding opposing teams’ best scorers.

He had played all 49 games this year before Monday, and is averaging a career-high 36.3 minutes per game. 

“You deal with the reality of it,” Thibodeau said. “It’s good that it’s a mild sprain. Just work your way through the treatment and get ready to go. … Next guy get in there and get the job done.” 

The Knicks also got positive news on Mitchell Robinson. 

He has taken a step forward in his rehab and is cleared for contact, Thibodeau said. Robinson has not yet played this season after undergoing left ankle surgery last May. 

“The next step will be to start taking contact in practice,” Thibodeau said. “Obviously there are a number of steps for him to go through, so the next step is the contact part of practice and just get going with that.” 

The Knicks center met with doctors Monday afternoon, he revealed on his social media accounts, and received a positive update on the injury. 

“Hell yeah !!!! That’s what I’m talking about baby,” Robinson posted on X on Monday. 

“Yessssirrrr now that was some great news !!!!” he wrote in a separate post on Snapchat. 

The news comes slightly after Thibodeau’s original timetable, as he had previously predicted Robinson would return to practice in January. 

There had been much uncertainty surrounding Robinson’s injury.

He first had surgery on his left ankle in Dec. 2023, and after an original timeline of eight-to-ten weeks before a reevaluation, he ended up missing nearly three months and 50 games last year.

He reinjured the ankle in the playoffs and had the second surgery in May. 

Though the second surgery was described as “a minor procedure,” The Post’s Stefan Bondy reported at the time, Robinson has yet to make his season debut. 

But the news also comes at a critical juncture, just four days before Thursday’s trade deadline.

The Knicks have lacked depth at center this season, and that was before Karl-Anthony Towns’ recent struggles due to a thumb injury.

It would have made sense to consider adding a center before the deadline, but Robinson’s imminent return could make that unnecessary. 

It could also impact Jericho Sims, whom Bondy previously reported the Knicks are shopping around the league.

He has been in and out of the rotation this year, and Robinson’s return could make him superfluous. 

Both Anunoby and Robinson have struggled with injuries throughout their careers. 

Anunoby played just 50 regular-season games last year, in part because of elbow surgery, before a hamstring injury derailed him in the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Pacers. 

Robinson has only surpassed 70 games once in seven years in the league.