The New York Knicks had a great start to their four-game road trip, having defeated the Portland Trail Blazers, the Sacramento Kings, and the Golden State Warriors. However, Jalen Brunson and co. were unable to win a fourth straight game as they fell to the Denver Nuggets. Following their minor setback, the Knicks will hope to regain their win streak as they go up against state rivals – the Brooklyn Nets. Having lost their #4 position in the Eastern Conference, the availability of Julius Randle for tonight will be of massive importance.
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The New York Knicks have missed several important players for significant stretches of the season. The same continues to be the case for tonight’s clash against the Brooklyn Nets as well. As seen in the injury report per NBA.com, Mithcell Robinson, OG Anunoby, and Julius Randle are all listed as “OUT” ahead of this fixture.
Knicks list OUT Saturday vs Nets:
⌛️ Mitchell Robinson (left ankle surgery)
⌛️ OG Anunoby (right elbow injury management)
⏳ Julius Randle (dislocated right shoulder) pic.twitter.com/iHYKFVLOeT
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) March 22, 2024
Despite being shorthanded, the Knicks will be expected to defeat their New York counterpart. After all, the Brooklyn Nets sit 11th in the East at the moment, with a record of 26-44. Furthermore, the team is currently on a five-game losing streak. In all likelihood, the fifth-seeded Knicks (41-28), should have no problem outclassing their opponents tonight.
Following a slow start to the season, Julius Randle eventually picked up pace. After Anunoby’s acquisition, Randle was also hugely responsible for the Knicks’ 14-2 record in January, per ESPN. However, just as fans believed that the New York side had the potential of finishing the regular season as a top-three seed in the Eastern Conference, Randle suffered a major setback.
During the fourth quarter of the 27th January clash against the Miami Heat, Randle collided with Jaime Jaquez Jr. Holding his right shoulder in pain, the forward was taken off the floor and never returned. Since then, the 29-year-old has missed all games with tonight’s game marking the 23rd straight contest that he will be absent for.
What is the update on the injury that Julius Randle sustained?
Julius Randle, who was only expected to miss four weeks, has been out for almost 8 weeks now. But, while it may seem like a huge concern for fans of the New York Knicks, The Athletic’s Fred Katz reports that the Knicks are only delaying their star’s return as a cautionary measure. According to Katz, the 2021 Most Improved Player has “pushed” hard to suit up for the remaining games. However, the management has still not declared him fit to play. Fred Katz wrote:
“Behind the scenes, Randle is pushing hard to return. His pain tolerance is without question “insane,” as one person close to him recently described it, but he’s human. Maybe Randle can fight through anguish, but maybe fighting through it still affects him…It puts the Knicks in a predicament. Randle wants to play, but if the pain chips away his quality so much that he becomes a burden, should he?”
A few days ago, Tom Thibodeau even delivered a pleasing update on the matter. The Knicks head coach revealed that the three-time All-Star was already shooting, participating in light contact drills, and strengthening his shoulder.
“He’s shooting, doing individual work, that’s all good. He can do 5-0; that sort of thing, light contact with the pads,” Thibodeau said, per Ian Begley of SNY. “It’s (about) him feeling better. You’ve got to continue to strengthen the shoulder and go from there.” (Per Sports Illustrated)
Without Randle, Anunoby, or Robinson on board, the likes of Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo have stepped up big time. After going 3-8 in February, the Knicks have had a significantly better performance in March, winning six out of their nine games, per ESPN.
Adding Julius Randle and OG Anunoby to this in-form lineup can tremendously improve the New York side’s chances of making a deep run in the postseason.
