The New York Knicks have very little margin for error. They need all hands on deck to compete with the likes of the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.
Unfortunately, that is not going to be the case.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, star forward Julius Randle has opted to undergo season-ending shoulder injury. The All-Star has missed the last two months after initially suffering the injury on Jan. 27.
“He had done everything possible to avoid surgery and return for the playoffs, but the procedure became an increasing inevitability after recent visits to two specialists who warned of further injury and possible permanent damage to the shoulder if he returned to play before a surgical procedure.”
Report on Julius Randle injury situation
This is potentially devastating news for a Knicks team that heads into Thursday’s big game against the Sacramento Kings at 44-31 on the season and as the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference.
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Analyzing impact of Julius Randle injury news on the New York Knicks
This news comes with fellow star forward OG Anunoby still sidelined to an injury of his own. The recently-acquired former Toronto Raptors star has missed the past seven games due to an elbow issue. New York changed his injury designation earlier in the week, leading to speculation that the three-and-D wing could miss extensive time.
Despite a largely successful regular season, New York has lost three consecutive games. That included an ugly overtime loss to the lowly San Antonio Spurs this past Friday.
- Julius Randle stats (2023-24): 24.0 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 5.0 APG, 47% shooting
As you can see, the 29-year-old Randle was in the midst of a great season before suffering the injury. With him sidelined, the Knicks are obviously going to rely even more on the combo of Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart.
New York is currently a half game behind the Orlando Magic for the fourth seed and home-court advantage in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. It has difficult matchups coming up against the Kings, Bucks and Celtics to close out the regular season.