The New York Knicks dodged a bullet as Julius Randle won’t be sidelined for the season due to his dislocated right shoulder. Meanwhile, OG Anunoby is working to return from an elbow injury that kept him out of Monday night’s game against the Hornets.
Knicks: Julius Randle could recover from dislocated shoulder in as little as two weeks
The Knicks, who have won 13 of their last 15 games, will have to do without Randle for what Stefan Bondy of the New York Post says will be weeks and not months:
“The Knicks hadn’t issued a statement or medical update on Randle but, according to a shoulder doctor who didn’t evaluate the power forward, avoiding surgery means he could return as quickly as two weeks (although sources don’t expect that to be the case with Randle),” Bondy said.
The medical opinion came from one Dr. Dennis DeBernardis, who chalked up the speed with which Randle can return to being contingent upon how quickly he regains strength in the arm.
Randle initially sustained the injury when taking a hard fall after driving to the basket and colliding with Jaime Jaquez Jr. of the Miami Heat late in their 125-109 win on the affair.
The Knicks’ most recent win over the Hornets indicates that they can stay afloat in Randle’s absence
The Knicks were able to pull out a convincing 113-92 win over the Charlotte Hornets in their first game without him last night, but with nine games left before the All-Star break, the Knicks’ supporting cast will have to rally around Jalen Brunson’s exceptional play to prevent from slipping in the standings.
How serious is OG Anunoby’s elbow injury?
That is important on many fronts as OG Anunoby also missed Monday night’s action against the Hornets due to elbow inflammation and is considered day-to-day going forward.
Anunoby has had a resounding impact on the Knicks since being traded from the Toronto Raptors at the end of last month. His torrid +/- and efficient scoring (51.6 FG%, 39.1 3PT%) make the Knicks look like they’re one deadline deal away from undoubted contention in the Eastern Conference.
The Knicks hope Anunoby will be back before the All-Star festivities, while the break in action will buy some time as Randle rehabs. Randle, a 2024 All-Star hopeful, is unlikely to suit up should he be announced as a reserve on Inside the NBA this Thursday, Feb. 1.
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