NEW YORK — Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau gave his newest spherical of updates on his injured beginning frontcourt — forwards Julius Randle and OG Anunoby and middle Mitchell Robinson — earlier than Monday night time’s 124-99 victory at Madison Sq. Backyard over the Detroit Pistons, and insinuated Robinson, who has been out since Dec. 8 following ankle surgical procedure, would be the first of the trio to return.
“Mitchell is transferring fairly nicely,” Thibodeau mentioned throughout his pregame media session. “He is cleared for contact and all that. He is going by means of practices and so simply wants just a little extra time. However he is doing rather well general.”
When a reporter adopted up by asking if that meant Robinson would return forward of Anunoby and Randle — each of whom had extra blended updates from Thibodeau — the coach smiled and mentioned, “Assuming your assumption is right, sure.”
Robinson hasn’t performed since a loss to the Boston Celtics on Dec. 8. New York finally filed for a disabled participant exception, which the NBA grants if a participant is unlikely to return this season, however when the procedural transfer was denied by the NBA in early January, it opened up the likelihood that Robinson, arguably the league’s finest offensive rebounder, may come again in some unspecified time in the future this season.
Now, it seems that return is imminent, and he’ll once more type a potent 48-minute pairing on the pivot for the Knicks with Isaiah Hartenstein, who has been stellar in Robinson’s place as a starter, averaging 8.2 factors and 9.9 rebounds whereas taking pictures 65% from the sphere.
Anunoby, in the meantime, participated in elements of shootaround Monday however missed his fourth consecutive sport after his proper (taking pictures) elbow flared up once more after he performed in three video games following a six-week layoff for a process to take away a free physique from it.
Requested what kind of timeline there could be for the ahead’s return, Thibodeau declined to provide a selected reply, saying that the elbow has to “cool down.” The Knicks received 15 of their 17 video games by which Anunoby performed since being acquired from the Toronto Raptors in the beginning of 2024.
A lot of the dialogue, nevertheless, was reserved for Randle, the All-Star ahead who has been out with a shoulder harm since taking a clumsy fall in opposition to the Miami Warmth on Jan. 27. Randle, who has recurrently been understanding laborious earlier than video games, continues to be within the “managed contact” portion of his rehabilitation course of and has but to advance to totally collaborating in dwell contact drills.
“He is feeling higher, in order that’s an excellent signal,” Thibodeau mentioned. “He is ramped it up some. We’ll see the place it goes.”
Requested whether or not he may envision a situation by which Randle would not return in any respect, Thibodeau mentioned there is a steadiness between doing the appropriate factor for each the participant and the group that must be managed.
“It is each methods,” he mentioned. “It is what helps the group, and you do not wish to put a participant in hurt’s method, both. So it is like, ‘OK, let’s simply take it day-to-day.’ You guys know I do not do hypotheticals. So we’re hopeful.”
New York’s victory over Detroit meant the Knicks (43-28) saved tempo with the Cleveland Cavaliers, who received at house in opposition to the Charlotte Hornets to stay a half-game forward of the Knicks for third place within the Japanese Convention standings.
The Knicks’ blowout victory was led by Donte DiVincenzo’s career-high 40 factors, together with setting a franchise document with 11 made 3-pointers.
In a twist, DiVincenzo was being guarded by Evan Fournier, who New York had despatched to Detroit previous to final month’s commerce deadline as a part of a deal that introduced Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks again to the Knicks — and who beforehand held the mark, together with J.R. Smith, with 10.
DiVincenzo admitted the group getting behind him as the sport went alongside to get the document really made it tougher to get it.
“Actually, Jalen [Brunson] was like, ‘Decelerate,'” DiVincenzo mentioned with fun. “That emotion the place you get a sliver of area, and you’ve got knocked down 9 of them, 10 of them, and also you want the final one, and the group as quickly as you catch the ball, you’ll be able to hear the group. … In that second, it ramps you up, and Jalen was like, ‘Decelerate, take your time and shoot the ball.'”
Talking of Bogdanovic, Thibodeau mentioned after the sport that the veteran ahead obtained “nicked up” in opposition to Detroit, although when requested for additional info, he merely mentioned Bogdanovic had “soreness.”
