Knicks PF Julius Randle enters NBA's health and safety protocols

The Knicks are currently in the ninth slot in the Eastern Conference at 17-18. They are scheduled to play the Oklahoma City Thunder at 8:00 p.m. ET on Friday.

In his seventh year in the NBA last season -- and second with New York -- Randle broke out in a big way, setting career-highs in points (24.1), rebounds (10.2) and assists per game (6.0), while shooting a career-best 41.1% from three-point range and 81.1% from the free throw line. The former No. 7 overall pick of the Los Angeles Lakers also started and played in 71 of the team's 72 contests, led the league in minutes per game at 37.6, was the Eastern Conference Player of the Month for April and was named second team All-NBA.

Behind Randle and fellow lefty RJ Barrett, the Knicks finished with a 41-31 record last season and made the playoffs for the first time in eight years. While Randle still leads New York in scoring, rebounding and assists this season, his numbers are down across the board.

The 27-year-old's 19.3 points per game are his lowest since his final season with the Lakers in 2017-2018, and his 10.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists per contest are slightly less than last year as well. He's also shooting a career-worst 41.7% from the field.