The New York Knicks will have to find a way to close out the regular season without their All-Star forward.
Julius Randle will have to undergo shoulder surgery and will be sidelined for the rest of the season.
The Knicks are wrapping up a strong season and are currently the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference standings. Randle missed some time earlier in the season when he suffered an injury in January.
The team said the 29-year-old will be re-evaluated in the next five months. The postseason begins on April 20.
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Injuries have taken a toll on the once surging Knicks. Aside from Randle, fellow starters OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson have also suffered injury setbacks this season.
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Randle fell on the hardwood with just over four and a half minutes remaining in a game against the Miami Heat.
Heat guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. stepped in front of Randle to draw a charge as the Knicks star drove to the basket. He has since been rehabbing the shoulder in hopes of avoiding surgery and returning in time for the postseason.
But coach Tom Thibodeau said in recent days Randle hadn’t been cleared to practice in situations where the shoulder could be hit. The regular season ends next weekend.
“You have to have a belief that it will turn, which I do,” Thibodeau said Tuesday. “Maybe it’s tomorrow, maybe it’s the day after. Who knows when it is? But just keep putting everything you have into each day. So, work out, do your rehab, try to strengthen your shoulder as much as you can and go from there.”
The Knicks host the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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