The NBA’s All-Star break will end on Thursday, and 24 of 30 teams will be in action. The New York Knicks will resume their season with a tough test, as the Philadelphia 76ers will visit Madison Square Garden. These two teams are currently separated by 0.5 games on the Eastern Conference standings, with the Knicks at fourth and the 76ers right behind them at fifth. The winner will take the fourth spot in the conference standings and close the gap on the third-placed Milwaukee Bucks.
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The Knicks will be glad about not having to face Joel Embiid, who’s out with a knee injury. However, New York will also be without one of its stars. Forward Julius Randle is out for the game against the 76ers with a dislocated right shoulder.
Randle suffered the injury in late January in a game against the Miami Heat. After driving to the basket, he tried to dunk the ball over rookie Jaime Jacques Jr., who stood still to draw a charge and fell awkwardly on his shoulder after crashing into the Heat star. Randle was taken to the locker room and diagnosed with a dislocated shoulder.
He has missed the Knicks’ last nine games. Coach Tom Thibodeau was criticized heavily for keeping his starters in the game despite his team’s 17-point lead with less than five minutes left.
The Knicks won their first three games without Randle but are 1-5 in their last six outings. They are looking to end a four-game losing streak on Thursday.
The Knicks are in dire need of their star Julius Randle
On Wednesday, Julius Randle spoke to the media for the first time since dislocating the shoulder against the Heat. He was asked about a potential return date, and he said,
“We’ll see. There’s still necessary steps. It’s a process to everything. I have to weigh out everything ultimately and decide from there. But right now I’m just focused on trying to avoid [surgery], obviously, and get back on the court as soon as I can.”
Randle joked that he’d return on April Fool’s Day before clarifying that there’s no timetable for his return.
Randle’s continued absence is a massive problem for the Knicks. The veteran forward is averaging 24 points, 9.2 rebounds, and five assists this season. He was named an All-Star for the third time in his career but had to pull out due to his shoulder injury. Jalen Brunson and the Knicks will have to find a way to keep their season afloat while Randle recuperates.
