The Knicks were on a roll to begin the new year, but a rash of injuries halted the momentum in New York.
In the fourth quarter of a late-January win, All-Star Julius Randle went down with a shoulder injury after taking a scary fall. Randle, who drew a foul on the play, did not stay in to shoot his free throws, instead exiting the game for good.
In addition to Randle's injury, New York had been navigating the extended absences of O.G. Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson and the brief time missed by All-Star guard Jalen Brunson.
How much longer will Randle be sidelined? Here is the latest on his injury and what it means for him and the Knicks moving forward.
MORE: Jalen Brunson comes up just short of Knicks franchise scoring record
What is Julius Randle's injury?
Randle's injury is a dislocated right shoulder.
Randle suffered the injury in the fourth quarter of New York's win over Miami on Saturday, Jan. 27 when Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. attempted to draw a charge. As Randle rose for a layup, the collision caused him to fall directly on his right shoulder.
Here is the play where Randle went down:
Randle finished the game with 19 points, nine rebounds and three assists. This season, he is averaging 24.0 points, 9.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game.
How long is Julius Randle out?
Randle will undergo season-ending right shoulder surgery, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported on April 4.
"Randle’s done everything possible to avoid surgery and return for the playoffs, but procedure became an increasing inevitability after recent visits to two specialists who warned of further injury and possible permanent damage to shoulder if he returned to play before a surgical procedure," Wojnarowski wrote.
Back on Feb. 1, the Knicks announced that Randle would be re-evaluated in 2-to-3 weeks. In late February, Randle told reporters that he hoped to return and season-ending surgery was an option he wanted to avoid.
With only a week and a half remaining in the NBA regular season, Randle and the Knicks have decided that surgery is the best option for the All-Star forward.
WATCH: Catch the Knicks all season long on Sling TV
Knicks remaining schedule 2023-24
The Knicks have seven games remaining in the regular season.
As of April 4, they sit in fifth place in the Eastern Conference. They are one game back from the Cavaliers in third and a half-game back from the Magic in fourth.
Here is the Knicks' remaining schedule:
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET) | TV channel |
| April 4 | vs. Kings | 7:30 p.m. | — |
| April 5 | at Bulls | 8 p.m. | — |
| April 7 | at Bucks | 7 p.m. | — |
| April 9 | at Bulls | 8 p.m. | — |
| April 11 | at Celtics | 7:30 p.m. | — |
| April 12 | vs. Nets | 7:30 p.m. | — |
| April 14 | vs. Bulls | 1 p.m. | — |
Julius Randle stats 2023-24
- 24.0 points per game
- 9.2 rebounds per game
- 5.0 assists per game
- 0.5 steals per game
- 3.5 turnovers per game
- 47.2 percent field goal shooting
- 31.1 percent 3-point shooting
- 78.1 percent free throw shooting
