Knicks' Julius Randle watches from bench as he awaits reevaluation
Knicks forward Julius Randle grimaces as he leaves the court after being injured in the first half against the Miami Heat on Wednesday. Credit: AP/Mary Altaffer
Julius Randle took a seat on the Knicks’ bench in the first quarter, wearing a boot on his left leg, but didn’t stay there long before departing.
It was just as well for him to retreat. The important thing for Randle and the Knicks right now is to avoid any possibility of getting hit again and anything that would slow his rehabilitation.
After Randle suffered a sprained left ankle on Wednesday, the Knicks announced that he would be reevaluated in two weeks — which has him hopeful of good news right as the first round of the playoffs are scheduled to begin.
“Just follow the protocol they’re laying out for you,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “That’s all you can do. So work your way through it day by day. When he’s healthy, he’ll go. He’s just following their protocol, a lot of treatment, that sort of thing.”
Bench soaks up minutes
With Randle sidelined at least until the postseason and RJ Barrett out with a non-COVID illness, the Knicks had Obi Toppin and Immanuel Quickley in the starting lineup in their 118-109 victory over the Wizards on Sunday night, and even Evan Fournier got dusted off and inserted into the rotation. The absences have at least provided an opportunity to give minutes to some of the bench players.
“I think that’s the way you’d have to approach it, and we saw that earlier in the year,” Thibodeau said. “I think when Obi went out we were 10-5 during that stretch. Jericho [Sims] got time as a four, he and Isaiah [Hartenstein] for that stretch played very well.
“We probably wouldn’t have gotten to that if that didn’t happen. Then when RJ went out, that was a different set of circumstances. But that’s why you always want everyone to be ready. You never know when something can change, whether it be injury, foul trouble, illness, whatever it might be. But be ready and you need everyone on the team to make that commitment and sacrifice.”
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
