The New York Knicks are on the verge of closing out their first-round playoff series, but they may have a bigger concern at hand.
Knicks star Julius Randle got hurt in Game 5 against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday. He came down on Cavs forward Caris LeVert in the second quarter while contesting a midrange jumper. Randle immediately crumpled to the floor, grabbing his left ankle. He then left for the locker room.
Julius Randle heads to the locker room after re-injuring his ankle https://t.co/2NhlqAWLOM
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 27, 2023
Here is another angle of Randle’s injury.
Julius Randle appears to reaggravate his sprained ankle pic.twitter.com/5PocSrmCBF
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) April 27, 2023
The Knicks soon said that Randle was doubtful to return due to a “sprained left ankle.”
Julius Randle (sprained left ankle) is doubtful to return.
— NY Knicks PR (@NY_KnicksPR) April 27, 2023
The left ankle is the same one that cost Randle the final two weeks of the regular season. He initially sprained it during a game against the Miami Heat in late March (video here).
Up 3-1 in the first-round series, the Knicks were leading by double digits for most of Wednesday’s Game 5, even despite Randle’s absence. Should they close out Game 5 with the win, the Knicks will face the winner of the Heat-Milwaukee Bucks series (which Miami currently leads 3-1 and can end with a victory on Wednesday too). Randle’s status will be worth keeping a close eye on for that one, especially since he re-aggravated a previous injury that had already cost him multiple weeks.
