New York Knicks star forward Julius Randle is a game-time decision for Friday night’s matchup against the Miami Heat.
Mitchell Robinson, who is dealing with a back injury, is also a game-time decision for the contest. R.J. Barrett, Obi Toppin, Jericho Sims, Alec Burks and Evan Fournier apparently practiced as the Knicks’ starters during their shootaround on Friday.
This could be big for Miami, as Randle has missed the Knicks’ last two games with a quad injury. This season, the University of Kentucky product is averaging 20.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game while shooting 41.3 percent from the field and 30.7 percent from beyond the arc.
The Knicks are coming off a win over the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night, but they are still only 31-42 this season. Miami, who has lost two straight games, could be in line for a bounce-back win if the Knicks are without key players like Randle and Robinson.
The Heat hold a slim lead for the No. 1 spot in the Eastern Conference, as they are only one game ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks.
Randle has taken a step back this season after being named an All-Star in the 2020-21 campaign, but he still is a driving force in New York’s offense. Randle leads the team in points, rebounds and assists per game this season.
Miami beat the Knicks in New York back on Feb. 25, and it will look for a similar result when the two teams face off Friday night. The game is set to tip off at 8 p.m. EDT from FTX Arena.