NEW YORK – The New York Knicks announced that forward Julius Randle will undergo a re-evaluation in two to three weeks due to a dislocated right shoulder suffered during a win over the Miami Heat on Saturday.
“He's already started the rehab process,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said before Thursday night's game against the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden. “So just let him work his way through it.
“Encouraged, optimistic, [we’ll] See how it unfolds.”
That timeline means Randle, who left the game late in the fourth quarter after injuring his shoulder when Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. took over, will be re-evaluated either at the start of the All-Star break — the Knicks' last play before the game. The breakout game will take place on February 14 in Orlando against the Magic – or at the beginning of New York's post-break schedule, which begins in Philadelphia on February 22.
When asked if surgery had been ruled out, Thibodeau said he wasn't sure.
“I don't know the details of this matter. I know that the rehabilitation process has begun and I feel sorry for that [physical therapists]”You know the way Julius works. So he's upbeat and he's feeling better. So take it day by day and hopefully everything goes well,” Thibodeau said with a smile.
Randle, who is averaging 24 points, 9.2 rebounds and 5 assists, could be selected to his third All-Star Game later Thursday when the reserves are announced.
If he is selected — along with teammate Jalen Brunson, who will likely earn his first All-Star appearance after narrowly missing out on Damian Lillard's starting lineup last week — NBA commissioner Adam Silver would select his replacement.
“I hope Julius makes it, too,” Thibodeau said when asked about the chances of both players being named to the All-Star team. “Those things are also a byproduct of a team winning. Obviously they have to play well, but I know from my end when I'm voting, which is one of the worst feelings I have, is that there are a lot of players who 'I'm having great seasons that I deserve, and then It's about the team winning. “I think this works in our favor and influences their influence on winning.”
The Knicks were also without OG Anunoby and Quentin Grimes on Thursday night, as Anunoby missed his third straight game with a sore elbow while Grimes sat out with a sprained knee. Both players work on a daily basis, Thibodeau said.
New York is coming off the best month the franchise has had in 30 years, going 14-2 in January to climb the Eastern Conference standings and move into a matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks for second place.
As a result, Thibodeau was named the East's Coach of the Month for January earlier Thursday.
“All the individual stuff is really a byproduct of everyone working together and winning,” Thibodeau said. “When that happens, any individual thing — the organization, the front office, all the coaches for sure — you can't do it without great players and we have great players who work well together.”
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