The New York Knicks ruled out leading scorer Julius Randle for Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the visiting Miami Heat on Sunday afternoon.
The All-Star forward aggravated a left ankle injury late in the first half of New York’s clinching Game 5 win against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night. He left the game and later returned to the bench in street clothes.
Randle missed the last five games of the regular season with the injury but returned to average 14.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists in five games against the Cavaliers.
Randle, 28, averaged a career-high 25.1 points per game to go with 10.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists over 77 games (all starts) in 2022-23, his fourth season with the Knicks and ninth in the league. He was named an All-Star for the second time, the first coming in 2020-21 in his breakout season for New York.
Guard Quentin Grimes is available to play on Sunday despite being listed as questionable for the game with a shoulder injury, the team announced.
Game 2 of the series is scheduled for Tuesday night, also at Madison Square Garden.
–Field Level Media
