The New York Knicks have been dealing with the absences of Julius Randle and OG Anunoby for some time now, and Josh Hart's comments about when he is expecting the two players back might concern some Knicks fans.
“I'm looking at it like this is the team we're going to have,” Josh Hard said, via Steve Popper of Newsday. “I think that's how we have to approach it, that those guys aren't coming back and obviously we'll be pleasantly surprised if they come back. I'm not in those medial conversations or anything like that, so I don't know s**t from s**t. But we've got to approach it every game and the end of this season that those guys aren't coming back and if they do be pleasantly surprised.
Julius Randle has not played for the Knicks since Jan. 27, when he dislocated his shoulder after a hard fall late in a win against the Miami Heat at home. It is unknown when, or if Randle will be able to return this season, whether that be in the regular season or the playoffs. Given the fact that Randle played on an ankle that needed surgery in the playoffs last year, he would likely play at below 100 percent this year if possible.
OG Anunoby has been dealing with an elbow injury that surfaced after that same game in which Randle got hurt against the Heat. Anunoby got a procedure done on his elbow, and he returned briefly to play games on March 12, 14 and 16 against the Philadelphia 76ers, Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings. The Knicks won all three of those games, but the elbow issues popped up again, and it is unclear as to when he will be able to return as well.
It makes sense that Hart is taking that approach. The Knicks' players likely do not have much more information than we do. Hart is also notorious for playing hard no matter the circumstances.
The Knicks are in a tight race for seeding in the Eastern Conference playoffs, so it would be of great help for either of them to return as soon as possible.
Knicks' outlook for the rest of the regular season
With the Knicks sitting at 44-30 on the season after a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, they are half of a game back of the Cleveland Cavaliers for third place in the Eastern Conference and one game ahead of the Orlando Magic for fourth place.
New York has eight games left in the regular season against the Miami Heat, Kings, Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks, Bulls again, Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, then another game against the Bulls. It will be worth monitoring the status of Randle and Anunoby in the coming weeks, as they can change the course of how the playoffs go in the Eastern Conference.
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