The New York Knicks have lost four straight games as they head into the All-Star break. Four straight losses are a disappointment given their excellent first half, but the injuries have stacked up. Julius Randle is still out with his shoulder injury and the hope is that he can return at some point after the All-Star break.
Ian Begley of SNY gave the latest update on Randle, saying that there’s optimism that he’s eventually going to return. Begley didn’t give an exact date but hinted that the Knicks star should be back on the court at some point.
“I’ve heard during this period that there’s been some positive progression here during the rehab. I think that’s left people with even more reason to be optimistic that Randle will be back at some point this season. I don’t know if they’re out of the woods yet, but certainly, the progress that he has made over the last couple of weeks during this rehab stretch has left people excited about the possibility of him coming back.”
All-Star Break Will Benefit Julius Randle
The All-Star break will benefit Randle and others on the New York Knicks with injuries. Randle gets another week off without missing any games, something that’s needed for a team dealing with many injuries.
Head coach Tom Thibodeau had the following to say about how Randle looks, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post.
“He was in my office the day before we left [for Houston]; we had a great visit, went through some stuff,” the Knicks coach said before Monday’s 105-103 loss to the Rockets. “We’re already processing what the next things are. He’s doing very well overall. And the thing that’s unfortunate; he was playing at such a high level when he took on the injury. And I said it at the time, the one great thing about him is he’s in great shape.”
Thibodeau hints at Randle meeting with him before their trip to take on the Houston Rockets. He also says that Randle has made strides and will be ready to go when he’s up to speed.
“It’s going to be constant evaluation. He’s doing well. Progressing. Meeting all the milestones,” Thibodeau said. “So when he’s ready to go, he’s ready to go. But that’s another benefit of that break coming. … Julius doesn’t sit out with soreness. If he can play, he’s going to play.”
Knicks Dealing With Many Injuries
Randle isn’t the only one on the New York Knicks dealing with injuries. Thibodeau said that Bojan Bogdanovic, Donte DiVincenzo, and Isaiah Hartenstein will all be ready after the All-Star break. That still leaves Randle and OG Anunoby without a return date.
“We get guys coming back and just prepare for the start [after All-Star break] like what are the things that we need to shore up? What are the things we can get better at and then lock into our opponents? So there’s a lot of work to be done,” Thibodeau told reporters after Wednesday’s loss. “But I think it’s a good opportunity to take a break and recharge after the amount of games they have been in and traveled to. You want to take advantage of that as well.”
The Knicks head into the All-Star break with major health issues, but that should change. With the second half coming up, health will be the biggest thing for a team that’s looking to compete in a tough Eastern Conference with the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Jon Conahan covers the NBA and NFL for Heavy.com, focusing on the New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks and Washington Commanders. Since 2019, his sports coverage has appeared at Sports Illustrated, oddschecker, ClutchPoints and Sportskeeda. More about Jon Conahan
