With the NBA's regular season stretch run in full swing, the New York Knicks are slowly returning to full strength. New York welcomed back OG Anunoby for Tuesday's win over the Philadelphia 76ers and is now waiting for Julius Randle to get healthy.
Randle has missed the team's last 19 games after dislocating his shoulder near the end of Jan. 27's win over Miami. With Anunoby back, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau offered an update prior to Tuesday's 106-79 victory.
"He’s shooting, doing individual work, that’s all good. He can do 5-0; that sort of thing, light contact with the pads," Thibodeau said, per Ian Begley of SNY. "It’s (about) him feeling better. You’ve got to continue to strengthen the shoulder and go from there."
"You know what the move is so you can brace yourself for it. So there’s a progression to what you have to go through."
Despite his injury, Randle was named to his third All-Star game, overcoming a slow start to average 24 points and 9.2 rebounds in 46 appearances. Randle addressed his prospects shortly after the Knicks reunited after the break and did not rule out surgery that would potentially end his season.
"I like how I feel today as far as getting better, feeling stronger, progressing to where I need to be, as far as getting on the court," Randle said, per ESPN. "But I'm never somebody to say never. So, ultimately, I have to do what's best for myself to have a long career, have longevity in this."
The Knicks have gone 9-10 since Randle was forced to leave, well enough to still hold fourth place on the Eastern Conference playoff bracket but far from the heights they reached in a thrilling January. It's clear that New York
Randle won't be available, but the Knicks open a four-game road trip against the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night (10 p.m. ET, MSG).
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