The New York Knicks defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 5 of the first round playoff series 106-95 and advanced to Eastern Conference Semifinals. It was bittersweet to win a series in the playoffs for the first since 2013. Knicks star Julius Randle suffered a recurrence of an ankle injury and had to leave the court in the middle of the game. This sad incident was accompanied by a happy day for Knicks’ fans, as Randle’s health raised legitimate questions. New York Knicks dominated Cleveland Cavaliers, despite the fact that their main scorer was barely in the game.
Julius Randle had to leave the court in the middle of the game because he injured his ankle. He never returned. Caris Lavert, a Cavaliers player, drove into the paint with less than a minute left in the second quarter. Randle’s instincts to defend kicked in as Lavert attempted a jumpshot. Randle made a successful attempt to block the shot, but landed awkwardly afterward. Randle returned to the locker rooms after a period of time on the floor.
Randle has suffered a similar ankle injury in the past. He injured himself at the end of regular season when he accidentally stepped on Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo. Randle’s team and himself are not likely to be happy about an old injury returning. The team appeared to be unaffected by the absence of its star player. Randle scored 13 points, despite having a great game just before he left for the locker rooms. The Knicks never lost the lead they had built up.
Look closer at the Knicks-Cavaliers match, which was a long awaited series win for the former.
Julius Randle Injury Update: No News on the severity of the injury
Randle left the game in street clothes and returned to courtside to watch the Cavaliers defeat his team and advance into the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Knicks’ star has not been updated on his injury status. In the next few days, the team will announce whether Randle is ready to play in Game 1 against either the Miami Heat or Milwaukee Bucks.
The Knicks’ dominance in Game 5 was representative of the entire series. The team’s performance was one of its best this season despite Randle’s injuries. The Knicks did a good job without Randle but fans are hoping that he will return soon.
Jalal Brunson, who scored 23 points and had four assists and four rebounds, led the Knicks. RJ Barrett scored 21 points with four assists and four rebounds. Immanuel Quiley scored 19 points, while Mitchell Robinson and Julius Randle each added 13 points.
Donovan Mitchell scored 28 points for the Cleveland Cavaliers, with five assists and seven rebounds. Darius Garland scored 21 points with four assists and two rebounds. Caris Lavert, Isaac Okoro and their respective 17 and 10 point efforts were not enough to win.
The Knicks are now set to face the winner of the Milwaukee Bucks vs Miami Heat series. The Knicks hope to have star player Julius Randle, a two-time All-Star, with the rest of their team.
