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After trading for OG Anunoby, the New York Knicks looked like one of the best teams in basketball. A few short weeks later, Anunoby and Julius Randle went down with an injury. The Knicks have struggled at times without both players, as evident by their 4-6 record in their last 10 games. Mitchell Robinson has also been out since December 8, 2023. Injuries are piling up, but the latest update is as positive as it can get for the Knicks.
According to Shams Charania of “Run It Back” on FanDuel TV, Randle, Anunoby, and Mitchell are progressing well.
“I’m told [Julius Randle’s] rehab is going well, his goal is still to play this season…[Mitchell Robinson] has got to keep hitting check marks, we know he’s been dealing with foot issues over the course of his career…OG Anunoby, the hope is over the next 2-3 weeks he’s going to be back on the floor.”
As the Knicks look to get prepared for the second half of the season and into the playoffs, Anunoby, Randle, and Robinson’s health are as important as anything else.
When Anunoby plays, the Knicks are 12-2. When Randle doesn’t play, the Knicks are 6-6. It’s clear that they play a big role in their success and will be needed come playoff time.
Randle Wants to Play, Even if Injured
Randle has shown his willingness to play, no matter the injury he’s dealing with. He dealt with an ankle injury last year during the playoffs and was a big part of the New York Knicks losing to the Miami Heat.
He averaged just 18.8 points and shot below 26.7% in two of those games. That was down from his 25.1 points per game average on 45.9% shooting in the regular season.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN revealed that Randle wants to play and will do so even if he’s injured.
“Know this with Julius Randle: Last season, when he had an ankle injury, there was a lot of suggestion to him from medical people that he may want to have that surgery, that he put off until the offseason, during the season. He didn’t do it, played injured into the playoffs, then had the procedure in the offseason.
“You kind of start there with Julius Randle. His inclination is to play, and it is to even play hurt and in some discomfort. That’s his goal right now, to try and get back and play and put anything off until the offseason, but that’s still fluid.”
If he can give the Knicks better minutes than he did in the 2023 playoffs, Randle playing can help this team.
When Healthy, Can the Knicks Compete With the Celtics and Bucks?
The question for the New York Knicks throughout the remainder of the season is if they can beat the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics when healthy.
With Randle, Anunoby, and Robinson healthy, the Knicks can compete with the best of them in the Eastern Conference. The 1-7 record against the Bucks and Celtics is concerning, but they didn’t have Anunoby in many of those games as they were before the trade.
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