Julius Randle was sidelined for 17 days after spraining his left ankle March 29 against the Heat. It wasn’t the same when he returned for the opening round against Cleveland. After aggravating that injury again, New York coach Tom Thibodeau doesn’t want to gamble on Randle’s future.
“I don’t know how close Randle to playing was; I know he’s worked before,” Thibodeau told reporters after his defeat in Race 1. “I only trust him and the medical staff to make that decision. I planned both ways. I planned both ways. I planned his leaving and planned if he wasn’t gone once they make up their minds, that’s it, and you live with it and prepare with what you’ve got, and we have more than enough”.