With the banged-up Knicks fighting for crucial playoff seeding, the team finally got a verdict on their two-time All-NBA star.
And it’s not exactly what they were hoping for.
The Knicks, losers of their last three games, entered Thursday just two games ahead of No. 6 seed Miami Heat and No. 7 Indiana Pacers, who are currently owner’s of the first Play-In Tournament spot.
Unfortunately for New York, Julius Randle won’t be around to help his team secure home-court advantage for the postseason due to the star opting for season-ending shoulder surgery Thursday.
“Well, we knew it was a possibility all along. He did all that he could to try to get back, and he never got to the point where he felt comfortable with it,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said before Thursday’s game against the Sacramento Kings.
“It’s a tough break for him, but our reality is what our reality is, and that’s the one thing that I’m proud of with our team is that they’ve shown great fight all year long when guys have gone out. So we were approaching it as if we weren’t going to have him, and if we got him, it would have been a bonus for him. So just keep doing what we’re doing.”
Right now, saying the Knicks are in a “great fight” is an understatement.
The shorthanded frontcourt went up against double-double machine Domantas Sabonis and the Kings, who are also fighting to make it out of the Play-In Tournament.
The remaining seven games after Thursday are up against Eastern Conference foes, with just one out of playoff contention.
Beginning Friday, the Knicks will embark on a four-game road trip that includes two stops in Chicago and another two games against championship contenders in the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics. Then, the final two games of the season will be at home against the eliminated Brooklyn Nets and Bulls.
That means no Randle to aid Jalen Brunson against superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. No Randle to match up with Boston’s surplus of firepower. And no Randle to combat a hungry Bulls squad led by veteran DeMar DeRozan and a budding star guard Coby White.
The only positive, though, is at least the team is no longer wondering if a Randle return would happen or not. However, the head coach didn’t see it that way.
“No. We were approaching it the way we were,” Thibodeau said when asked if Randle’s final ruling helps give the team more clarity. “The next guy get in here, get the job done. I’ve said this to you guys from the start. We’re not replacing Julius individually. We’re doing it collectively. And that’s the one thing that this team has responded extremely well to.”
Another slump on the upcoming trip could certainly land Thibodeau’s squad for the dreaded Play-In Tournament, which is a scenario that obviously isn’t ideal given the multitude of injuries.
OG Anunoby (elbow) remains out but returned to practicing with contact, per Thibodeau. Mitchell Robinson’s ankle got re-aggravated following his return last week and Josh Hart (wrist) has been banged-up as well.
Realistically, the Knicks won’t fall no further than the eighth seed, which allows them to advance into the playoffs with just one win in the Play-In Tournament. But a possibly tired roster without their second option makes anything possible for the Knicks.
If the season ended Thursday, the Magic would host the Knicks in a first-round matchup. Orlando won the season series, 3-1, and a thin frontcourt to deal Coach of the Year candidate Jamahl Mosley with rising star Paolo Banchero is an uphill task.
But the squad doesn’t seem too worries moving forward.
“I have great belief in our team. I think you go into the season thinking about all the possibilities and you know, injuries are part of it,” Thibodeau said. “And so how do you deal with it? You have to have that mindset and that framework in place already. So when someone goes out, the next guy comes in and understands that you could be shorthanded and you could still win. So if we play defense and we rebound the ball well and we take care of the ball, we’ll be in position to win. And that doesn’t matter who we’re playing against, or where we’re playing.”
