Julius Randle will be evaluated today after leaving the New York Knicks’ 101-92 victory over the Miami Heat on Wednesday due to a sprained left ankle.
With 2:40 left in the second quarter, Randle was hurt when his left leg landed on Heat center Bam Adebayo’s left foot when he was grabbing a rebound.
The Knicks forward was lifted up and initially continued to play, but he was clearly unable to continue and was declared out at halftime.
“It’ll be evaluated tomorrow,” Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters. “It’s a sprain, that’s about the extent of it. We’ll see where he is tomorrow.”
Thibodeau was unable to clarify the extent of the injury when asked if trainers thought it was a high ankle sprain.
Randle will be a key part of the Knicks’ upcoming playoffs campaign, averaging 25.4 points, 10.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists this season. The All-Star produced a career-best 57 points against the Minnesota Timberwolves last week.
Julius Randle (sprained left ankle) will not return.
— NY_KnicksPR (@NY_KnicksPR) March 30, 2023
The Knicks are in the five seed slot in the Eastern Conference with a 44-33 record, with the playoffs due to starton April 15.
“It’s all part of it, injuries happen,” Thibodeau said. “When you have a guy who’s averaging 24/10/4, we’re not going to replace him with one player.
“What we can do is work hard as a unit to come together and work to replace him.”
Randle is a two-time All-Star, who won the NBA’s Most Improved Player in 2021.