New York Knicks

New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson suffered a sprained left ankle in Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers and will not return, the team announced. 

Robinson suffered the injury after diving for a loose ball and getting tangled up with Luke Kennard before exiting with a noticeable limp. He racked up eight points, eight rebounds and two assists in 16 minutes. 

Robinson has had several injuries this season, including a hip flexor and ankle ailment. 

The 23-year-old also dealt with injury during the 2020-21 campaign, missing more than half of the season with a fractured foot and hand. Despite the injuries, the Western Kentucky product has been fun to watch, particularly on defense.

Robinson entered Sunday's game averaging 1.5 blocks and 8.3 rebounds, in addition to 8.4 points in 42 games while shooting 78.8 percent from the field. 

Robinson is New York's starting center, but head coach Tom Thibodeau has also relied on Nerlens Noel and Taj Gibson this year. Noel is averaging 3.5 points and 5.8 rebounds, while Gibson is averaging 3.7 points, 4.6 rebounds per game.

The Knicks entered Sunday's game with a 22-24 record, good for 11th place in the Eastern Conference. They will need Robinson to stay healthy if they hope to compete with teams like the Boston Celtics, Washington Wizards and Toronto Raptors for a spot in the play-in round. 

Cam Reddish may be set to make his New York Knicks debut Sunday afternoon against the Los Angeles Clippers.

According to Marc Berman of the New York Post, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau hinted at the possibility of Reddish playing Sunday after recovering from an ankle injury suffered while he was with the Atlanta Hawks.

Reddish has not played since the Knicks acquired him from the Hawks in exchange for forward Kevin Knox II and a conditional first-round pick last week.

After missing his final game as a member of the Hawks with the ankle injury, Reddish missed the first four games he could have played in for the Knicks.

Berman noted that Reddish's absence may have had more to do with getting him acclimated to the playbook and finding a spot for him in the rotation, however.

The 22-year-old Reddish was the No. 10 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft out of Duke, and he showed flashes of being a key player during his three seasons in Atlanta, though injuries often derailed his progress.

In 34 games this season before the trade, Reddish was averaging a career-high 11.9 points and 1.7 three-pointers made per contest to go along with 2.5 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.0 steals.

He is also shooting 40.2 percent from the field and 37.9 percent from beyond the arc, both of which are career bests.

Reddish's potential debut comes at an ideal time for a Knicks team that has lost three consecutive games and has fallen to 11th in the Eastern Conference with a 22-24 record.

New York is in danger of missing the playoffs after being the No. 4 seed last season, which is likely what spurred the decision to shake things up by trading for Reddish.

Reddish is a quality defender and three-point shooter who should bring some much-needed balance to a Knicks rotation that has looked listless in recent games.

If Reddish does play Sunday, it could mean less action for Quentin Grimes, Obi Toppin and even Immanuel Quickley depending on how Thibodeau opts to divide the minutes.

The NBA announced the New York Knicks were fined $25,000 for a violation of league rules when they refused to make All-Star forward Julius Randle available to the media after Thursday night's 102-91 home loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.

SNY's Ian Begley reported Randle hadn't done a postgame interview for "several games" prior to his unavailability following the Knicks' third straight loss.

Randle was fined $25,000 by the NBA on Jan. 8 for an "egregious use of profane language during media interviews." He'd used vulgar language in two media sessions that week.

"Really don't give a f--k what anybody has to say, to be honest," Randle told reporters Jan. 5. "I'm out there playing. Nobody knows the game out there better than I do, compared to what everybody has to say. So I really don't give a s--t. I just go out there and play."

One day later, after giving a thumbs-down gesture to fans at Madison Square Garden who were booing the team, he said the message was simple: "Shut the f--k up."

Randle apologized for the latter comments in an Instagram post, saying "sometimes you say things you regret to people you love, even if it came from a place of passion and deep love."

The reigning winner of the NBA Most Improved Player Award struggled mightily in Thursday's loss to the Pelicans. He made just one of his nine shots from the field en route to a stat line that featured four points, seven rebounds, six assists and three turnovers.

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters it wasn't fair to place the blame for the team's recent lull solely on Randle's shoulders:

It's easy to say that [about Randle being off-kilter], but it's really our entire team. When things aren't going our way, Julius is gonna take a lot of blame. He gets a lot of the credit, but that goes with the turf. But it's a team game, and we didn't get into it with any one individual. When they're not going our way, I just want us to be mentally tough and be able to work through it.

The 27-year-old University of Kentucky product hasn't been able to match his breakout 2020-21 campaign in large part because of his struggles at the offensive end. He's shooting just 41.1 percent from the field, including 30.8 percent from three-point range, through 44 games.

While he's not the only reason the Knicks (22-24) have been stuck around .500 for most of the season, his dip in production is a key factor.

Randle and Co. will attempt to give the MSG fans a reason to stop booing Sunday when they host the Los Angeles Clippers before heading out on a three-game road trip.

Anthony Edwards knows how to put on a show.

The young Minnesota Timberwolves star had a little something for Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night, leading his team to a 112-110 victory over the New York Knicks.

It was a solid win for a Timberwolves team looking to stay in the postseason picture. The 22-22 Wolves have now won six of their last eight games and are currently seventh in the Western Conference.

The Knicks, meanwhile, have now lost two in a row after last week's three-game winning streak. Tuesday's loss spoiled the return of veteran point guard Kemba Walker, who missed the previous nine games with left knee soreness.

Walker got off to a slow start before erupting in the fourth quarter:

That put New York in position to win late, but an Alec Burks three as time expired banked off the rim and Minnesota survived.

The Knicks dropped to 22-23 with the loss and are currently 11th in the East.

Key Stats

Anthony Edwards, MIN: 21 points

Karl-Anthony Towns, MIN: 20 points, five rebounds

D'Angelo Russell, MIN: 17 points, four assists

Evan Fournier, NYK: 27 points

Kemba Walker, NYK: 19 points, four assists

Julius Randle, NYK: 21 points, nine rebounds, nine assists

Is Fournier French For Bucket?

It was in the third quarter on Tuesday.

Fournier was a huge part of New York's third quarter 40-point outburst, scoring 12 of his own in the frame while helping to inject some life into the previously listless Knicks. The Knicks needed a spark, and Fournier brought a torch. 

That paved the way for Walker's heroics in the fourth, as the Madison Square Garden crowd was whipped into a bing-bonging frenzy.

Of course, the Knicks then failed to capitalize on multiple opportunities down the stretch to seal the deal. It's been that sort of season in New York.

Anthony Edwards Remains Fun

Edwards cooled off a bit after a hot first half, but he was still the best player on the court for the Timberwolves. Less than two years in, it's clear the Wolves have an ascendant star on their hands. 

The Wolves are an interesting team, if only because the timelines of players like KAT and Russell don't quite match up to Edwards. But it's easy to see why the Wolves wouldn't part with Edwards for a more proven star in the short term. His potential is simply too high. 

The MSG crowd got a taste of that on Tuesday. 

What's Next?

The Timberwolves have the second half of a back-to-back Wednesday, traveling to Atlanta to face the Hawks at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Knicks will host the New Orleans Pelicans on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET.

A year ago, Julius Randle was emerging as the face of the New York Knicks.

Now it appears the Knicks aren't so sure.

Marc Berman of the New York Post reported the Knicks "might not be as sold" on Randle as they were when he signed a four-year, $117 million extension in August. Randle has not matched his All-NBA form of 2020-21 this season, and tensions between the forward and fans boiled over when he told fans to "shut the f--k up" after a win over the Boston Celtics earlier this month.

Berman reported the organization "encouraged" Randle to write an apology after the incident.

Randle is averaging 19.1 points, 10.1 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game, solid numbers that nevertheless pale in comparison to his breakout last season. He's shooting nearly 10 full percentage points worse from three-point range (41.1 percent to 31.3 percent) while at times playing as an offensive black hole.

The Knicks have been outscored by 2.6 points per 100 possessions when Randle has been on the floor and have been outscoring their opponents by 7.6 points per 100 possessions when he sits. There have been several instances of coach Tom Thibodeau sitting his starters, Randle specifically, for long stretches when the bench units are thriving.

It's clear Randle isn't a foundational superstar. He can be the guy who is second or third in command of a really good team, but all historical signs point to 2020-21 being an outlier and 2021-22 being closer to the type of player he is long-term. 

The Knicks can thrive with a player like Randle making $29 million a year; his contract doesn't kill their cap a great deal, and the team isn't bogged down on many long-term contracts. That said, there's only so far this team can go until it finds a superstar ready to unseat Randle as the 1A option. 

The Atlanta Hawks traded 22-year-old wing Cam Reddish, Solomon Hill and a 2025 second-round draft pick (via the Brooklyn Nets) to the New York Knicks for Kevin Knox and a protected 2022 first-round pick (via the Charlotte Hornets) Thursday.

New York also waived Ryan Arcidiacono in a corresponding roster move.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN first reported the news of the trade.

The Hawks had been "canvassing the league" for a mid-tier first-round pick or a young player in a potential Reddish trade, Wojnarowski added. The Los Angeles Lakers and the Indiana Pacers were among the teams to make recent inquiries into a possible move.

Reddish has been solid for the Hawks this season, averaging 11.9 points while shooting a career-high 37.9 percent from three. In just his third season, he's continued to be a solid depth piece for the team. 

But Atlanta does not lack depth on the wing, with Bogdan Bogdanovic, De'Andre Hunter, Kevin Huerter and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot also available. The trio of Bogdanovic, Hunter and Huerter has emerged as the team's three best options, leaving fewer minutes for players such as Reddish. 

So a change of scenery might be the Duke alum's best route to maximizing his potential. New York is certainly banking on it. 

And it'll get more than one season with him to prove his fit with the franchise, as he's under contract through the 2022-23 season ($5.9 million) before he becomes a restricted free agent.

Reddish was the No. 10 overall pick by the Hawks in the 2019 NBA draft, six picks after the team nabbed Hunter. In Atlanta, he's been mostly cast as a nice role player, largely off the bench. 

The Knicks will be hoping to see him take the next step. 

He'll join a promising core in New York that includes Julius Randle, former Duke teammate RJ Barrett and Kemba Walker, among others, providing quality depth on the wing. Players like Barrett, Reddish, Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin and Mitchell Robinson give the team a young group to build around, one currently buoyed by a number of solid veterans. 

Reddish isn't going to turn the Knicks into legitimate title contenders. But he'll help them in their push for a second straight playoff berth.

The New York Knicks got back to .500 with a 108-85 victory over the Dallas Mavericks at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday. RJ Barrett had 32 points as New York improved to 21-21.

Julius Randle added 17 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists. The Knicks now have an 11-11 record on their home floor. New York overcame the absences of veteran point guards Kemba Walker (knee) and Derrick Rose (ankle).

The Mavericks fell to 22-19 and had their six-game win streak come to an end. Luka Doncic led the team with 21 points and 11 rebounds in the loss.

Dallas was without head coach Jason Kidd and power forward Kristaps Porzingis, who are both in the NBA's health and safety protocols.

Notable Stats

G RJ Barrett, NYK: 32 points, 7 rebounds

C Mitchell Robinson, NYK: 19 points, 10 rebounds

F Julius Randle, NYK: 17 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists

G Luka Doncic, DAL: 21 points (8-of-23 FG), 11 rebounds

Knicks Starters Shine in Victory

For much of the season, New York's starting five has struggled to find a rhythm together. That wasn't the case on Wednesday, as all of the starters scored in double figures for the Knicks.

New York did a great job of sharing the basketball early on with 13 assists on their 20 field goals in the first half.

The Knicks built a lead of as much as 25 in the second half thanks to some efficient play. New York attacked the rim relentlessly and shot 12-of-17 (70.6 percent) in the third quarter with only three of their field goal attempts coming from outside the three-point line.

Veteran guard Alec Burks was excellent in his role as distributor and finished with six assists. Randle made some nice passes on the interior and he also made good decisions on when to look for his own offense. Barrett was consistent from both inside and outside.

Mitchell Robinson had 19 points on 9-of-10 shooting with 10 rebounds. Evan Fournier added 13 and Burks finished with 10. The Knicks also played a relatively clean game, finishing with 24 assists against just eight turnovers.

New York has not had the first half of the season that it had hoped for, but this recent stretch is something to build on going forward. The Knicks have scored over 100 points in each of their last four wins. If New York continues to play like this, it will be in position to fight for a second consecutive trip to the postseason.

Dallas Doomed by Poor Shooting

The Mavericks had their opportunities on Wednesday but quite simply, they didn't make shots. Dallas shot a horrendous 8-of-37 (21.6 percent) from three-point range in the loss.

The peculiar thing about it is that the Mavericks ran good offense and consistently had good looks. Doncic and company used good ball movement to generate open shots for one another, but they just didn't connect.

Doncic shot 1-of-9 from beyond the arc. Swingmen Tim Hardaway Jr. (1-of-7) and Dorian Finney-Smith (0-of-4) didn't hit the shots they normally make. Maxi Kleber was second on the team behind Doncic with eight three-point attempts, but he only made three of them.

Dallas' defense also faltered against the Knicks. Wednesday's game was just the second time in their last seven contests that the Mavericks have allowed an opponent to score more than 100 points.

Dallas has shown the ability to shoot at an efficient rate, so Wednesday's dismal performance was likely an anomaly. But the Mavericks will have to find a way to adjust their game plan when their outside shots aren't falling. Instead of jacking up threes, the team would do better if it pushed the pace and attacked the basket.

What's Next?

The Knicks will enjoy a couple days of rest before traveling to face the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday. The Mavericks will remain on the road to take on the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday.

The New York Knicks have a "degree of interest" in trading for Atlanta Hawks wing Cam Reddish, per SNY's Ian Begley.

"The Knicks are also among the teams with a degree of interest in Cam Reddish, per sources familiar with the Reddish dynamic in Atlanta. The Hawks, per various reports, will make—or are making—Reddish available via trade."

The 22-year-old Reddish, who Atlanta selected with the No. 10 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft, has averaged 11.9 points on 40.2 percent shooting (37.9 percent from three-point range) and 2.5 rebounds per game.

New York and Atlanta, which met in the first round of last year's playoffs, could both see some midseason shake-ups.

The 20-21 Knicks are tied for 10th in the Eastern Conference after finishing fourth last year, while the 17-22 Hawks sit 12th in the East after appearing in the conference finals in 2021.

This year's NBA trade deadline is Thursday, Feb. 10, at 3 p.m. ET.

Injuries have stunted Reddish's development in his three-year career. Right Achilles soreness notably played a big role in Reddish appearing in just 26 of the Hawks' 72 regular-season games last year.

Thankfully, Reddish has been healthier in 2021-22, playing 34 of 39 games. He missed four contests with a left wrist sprain and one more after spraining his right ankle.

Reddish has one more year left on his rookie deal before he can become a restricted free agent in 2023.

Regarding his future with the Hawks, ESPN's Brian Windhorst said the following on the Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective podcast (h/t HoopsHype).

"I just think there’s a belief out there that maybe they’re not right now committed to giving Cam Reddish the type of contract he’s looking for," Windhorst said.

"And so he potentially could be on the move."

Reddish is coming off the bench for the Hawks of late as the team rolls with Kevin Huerter and Bogdan Bogdanovic as the starting wings. It'd probably be a similar situation on the Knicks, with Evan Fournier and RJ Barrett holding down those spots.

Still, taking a chance on a talented 22-year-old wing who has made significant strides from 2020-21, when he shot just 36.5 percent from the field, could be worth it for the Knicks or any other team looking to add to their rotation for the stretch run.