Bad news for the Knicks might mean an easier path for the Celtics in the NBA Playoffs.
New York announced Thursday that Julius Randle will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery and will be reevaluated in five months. It’s a brutal blow for the Knicks, who are now preparing for a playoff run without one of their stars who was averaging 24.0 points, 9.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists this season
As it pertains to the playoff picture, and particularly the Celtics, this might have opened up an easier road to Banner 18.
As for the Knicks, they sit in fifth place going into Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Kings. If the , they would play the Orlando Magic.
Assuming both the Knicks and the Celtics win in the first round and meet in Round 2, the loss of Randle would certainly be felt by New York against a tough Boston team that has gotten contributions from everyone up and down the lineup. Randle’s absence will cause problems for the Knicks, no doubt, but it might create a bit of an easier path for the Celtics to advance to the Eastern Conference Final.
Of course, a lot can change between now and when the playoffs actually begin in terms of seeding for the Knicks. And both teams would still need to advance out of the first round. But being without their star made New York’s path that much more difficult.
- The Celtics, meanwhile, clinched the NBA’s best record with a blowout win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday nigh, which also helped them earn home court advantage throughout the playoffs. The win marked No. 60 for Boston, and it came before any other Eastern Conference team earned 50 wins.
