Will Julius Randle play in 2024 NBA Playoffs?

Will Julius Randle play in 2024 NBA Playoffs?

According to ESPN NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski, Julius Randle will miss the 2024 NBA Playoffs due to a season-ending shoulder surgery. Randle had been undergoing rehabilitation for the past two months in hopes of returning, but will now be unable to join the Knicks for the remainder of the season and their playoff push.

Despite initially aiming to return for the playoffs after dislocating his shoulder on Jan. 27, Randle’s rehabilitation was ultimately unsuccessful, leading to the need for surgery. Reports from doctors revealed that playing through the injury would have been unsafe and could have caused further instability.

Despite Randle’s efforts to avoid surgery, Wojnarowski’s reporting revealed that specialists deemed it necessary to prevent any further damage. Fortunately, Randle is expected to make a full recovery before the start of the upcoming season.

Despite being named to his third All-Star team, Randle was unable to play in the game due to injury. However, his impressive season statistics of shooting 47.2%, averaging 24.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game, and consistently scoring 20 points or more in 19 consecutive games, prove his value as a scorer for the Knicks.

Impact of Julius Randle’s Absence on the Knicks’ Performance

Despite already missing Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson, and OG Anunoby for an extended period, the Knicks will now have to face their playoff run without Randle.

The absence of both Randle and Anunoby is a major blow for the Knicks and their depth. Despite currently being fifth in the East, the team had shown potential as one of the top teams in the conference this season with their full roster. In fact, their record was an impressive 12-2 when both players were active, and the team had the best defense in the league during that time.

Since Randle’s injury, the Knicks have a record of 15-14 in the 46 games he had previously played in.

Despite losing three consecutive games, the Knicks remain just two games ahead of sixth place Miami Heat and seventh place Indiana Pacers. However, they still have the opportunity to improve their position in the standings. They are currently trailing the third place Milwaukee Bucks by two games, the fourth place Cleveland Cavaliers by one game, and the fourth place Orlando Magic by 0.5 games.

With Julius Randle out, Isaiah Hartenstein and Precious Achiuwa will see increased playing time. This will also add pressure on Mitchell Robinson to step up his playing time as he continues to recover from his injury.

The Knicks will need to continue utilizing their smaller, four-guard lineups that have been effective in recent games. This may become problematic if they face a team with a significant size advantage, such as the Orlando Magic.

Despite Julius Randle’s absence, New York has maintained a strong rebounding game. In fact, over the last 10 games, they rank fourth in the league in rebounding rate.

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