Knicks’ Randle won’t play in opener vs. Heat
Knicks forward Julius Randle will not play Sunday in Game 1 of New York’s Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Heat…
Knicks forward Julius Randle will not play Sunday in Game 1 of New York’s Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Heat because of a sprained left ankle, the team announced.
The Knicks also said swingman Quentin Grimes will play in Game 1 but will not start. Grimes missed the final two games of the first round after suffering a shoulder contusion in Game 3 against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Josh Hart and Obi Toppin will start Sunday’s game alongside Jalen Brunson, RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson.
The decision to rule Randle out came after he took part in warmups at Madison Square Garden on Sunday morning. Coach Tom Thibodeau had previously said he was hopeful the two-time All-Star would be available for the series opener.
Randle originally injured the ankle in a March 29 win over the Heat and missed the rest of the regular season. Randle returned for Game 1 of the Knicks’ series against the Cavaliers but largely struggled to find any rhythm and aggravated the injury in Game 5, missing the second half of the series-clinching win.
He averaged 14.4 points and 6.4 rebounds over the five-game series — down from his regular-season averages of 25.1 points and 10.0 rebounds. Randle was benched for the fourth quarter of the Knicks’ Game 4 win over the Cavaliers last Sunday and shot 25-for-74 in the series.
About The Author
