Randle’s lengthy Knicks injury absence should come as no surprise
NEW YORK — Julius Randle’s return from a dislocated right shoulder was always going to take some time.
It’s been almost seven weeks since the Knicks All-star forward last took the floor in orange and blue, and with OG Anunoby’s triumphant return to the starting lineup on Tuesday, all attention has been shifted to the workhorse forward who’s been out of the rotation since Jan. 27.
The very nature of Randle’s game is the reason his return may take longer than expected — because the lefty’s preferred weapon of choice on the basketball court is the same shoulder he compromised in the late-january victory over the Miami Heat.
Randle’s effective brand of bully ball is made possible thanks to the very shoulder he separated crashing into the ground on a drive to the rim.
Whether he can return in time to help the Knicks is only one half of the question: Whether or not Randle will have to change his game to accommodate his shoulder is another piece of the puzzle at The Garden.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau addressed this after a Knicks practice at the Tarrytown training facility on March 7.
After averaging a career-high 8.3 attempted threes per game last season, Randle re-imagined his game during the summer and came into the year with a heightened focus on bully ball.
This season, he made it his signature move to throw his right shoulder into defenders to create separation, either to get a shot off or to force the defense to collapse to create an open look for a teammate.
His shoulder has been compromised, and while seven weeks may seem like a long time, a dislocated shoulder can feel like it happened yesterday.
Nets: Simmons surgery a success
Ben Simmons underwent a successful microscopic partial discectomy to alleviate the pinched nerve in his lower back, the Nets announced on Thursday.
It was Simmons’ second surgery since being traded to Brooklyn in 2022. The 27-year-old guard is expected to make a full recovery ahead of training next fall. Dr. Timur Urakov performed the latest procedure at Uhealth Jackson Memorial Medical Center in Miami. His first surgery was performed at Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles.
Simmons, who appeared in just 15 games for the Nets this season, was sidelined indefinitely on March 7. The three-time All-star averaged 6.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists this season. He missed 38 straight games from Nov. 8 to Jan. 27 because of the same issue.