New York Knicks

The New York Knicks announced guard Kemba Walker will miss the team's New Year's Eve matchup with the Oklahoma City Thunder with a sore left knee.

Walker was plagued by injuries throughout the 2020-21 campaign on his way to 43 games and missed time during the Boston Celtics' first-round playoff loss to the Brooklyn Nets.

He didn't make his season debut until Jan. 17 as he recovered from a knee injury and also missed time because of an oblique strain. It was the fewest number of games he played in a season since he entered the league as the No. 9 overall pick of the 2011 NBA draft.

The 2020-21 season was an inconsistent one for Walker even when he was on the floor.

He averaged a solid 19.3 points, 4.9 assists and 4.0 rebounds per game, but his 42.0 shooting percentage was his lowest since 2014-15. He was more of a secondary option alongside Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown than the go-to playmaker he was in his prime.

Walker signed with the Knicks this past offseason after being bought out by the Oklahoma City Thunder following a trade with Boston. While he had a rocky start to the season and fell out of the rotation, he's been red hot of late, one of the rare bright spots in a disappointing overall season for the Knicks.

Walker missed time with an injury in early December and had been out of the Knicks' rotation before averaging 19.3 points and 5.3 assists and 35 minutes over the last six games.

Expect Immanuel Quickley to see more playing time on Friday night.         

New York Knicks star Julius Randle is going to miss at least the next five days after being entered into the NBA's health and safety protocols, the team announced Thursday.

Randle has been ruled out for Friday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. 

Updated league rules for COVID-19 established on Monday allow vaccinated players who test positive to return within six days of being entered into the protocol, as long as they are asymptomatic.

Randle will be unavailable for New York's next three games. He could potentially return for the Jan. 6 game against the Boston Celtics at Madison Square Garden. 

According to CBS Sports' James Herbert, the Knicks already had Wayne Selden, Jericho Sims and Nerlens Noel out because of health and safety protocols. 

Randle was New York's best player last season and a big reason why the team made the playoffs as the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference. 

A first-time All-Star last season, Randle set career highs in scoring (24.1 per game), rebounding (10.2), assists (6.0) and three-point percentage (41.1).

Randle isn't playing up to that standard so far this season. The 28-year-old is averaging 19.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game in 35 starts. 

The Knicks are off to a disappointing 17-18 start this season, ninth place in the Eastern Conference.

The strength of New York's team under head coach Tom Thibodeau has been defense. The Knicks ranked first in points allowed per game (104.7) and third in defensive rating last season en route to making the playoffs for the first time since 2012-13.

The defense ranks a respectable eighth in points allowed per game (105.6), but just 17th in rating (109.7), per Basketball-Reference.com. 

Randle is the one reliably consistent scoring threat on the Knicks roster. His absence leaves a massive hole that will have to be filled to keep them afloat. RJ Barrett, Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier will be the primary scoring options for the time being.

The Kemba Walker revival is in full effect. 

After finding himself buried on the New York Knicks bench for nearly a month, Walker has been spectacular in his past four games, averaging 26.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.0 assists during that span, including a triple-double (10 points, 10 rebounds, 12 assists) during a 101-87 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Christmas Day. 

"It was amazing. It was amazing," Walker told reporters after the win. "Those are moments you dream about. You know? Yeah, man, it's kind of hard to put it in words, to be honest. But it was special. Just to be home, with that New York on my chest—I'm a New York City kid, born and raised—it felt amazing."

The feeling was mutual in New York:

Suffice to say, don't expect Walker to leave the rotation anytime soon. He's provided a spark for the 15-18 Knicks as they attempt to turn a disappointing season around. 

Playing in their first Christmas Day game since 2018, the New York Knicks gave the Madison Square Garden crowd plenty to cheer for with a 101-87 win over the Atlanta Hawks. 

The Knicks entered this game having lost nine of their past 12 games to fall four games under .500. 

Atlanta was once again playing short-handed with nine players unavailable because of health and safety protocols. Clint Capela did make his return after missing the previous two games. 

The Knicks took control early with a 23-8 lead midway through the first quarter. The Hawks didn't go quietly, but ultimately they were unable to make up the difference and suffered their eighth loss in the past 12 games. 

Each of New York's five starters was at least plus-12 in the win. Julius Randle and Evan Fournier led the way at plus-21. The duo combined for 40 points and 17 rebounds. 

Kemba Walker posted the third triple-double of his career. The 31-year-old didn't have an efficient scoring game, shooting just 3-of-12 from the field, but he made up for it with 12 assists and 10 rebounds. 

On a day when very little was going right for the Hawks, Delon Wright and John Collins at least put forth a good effort. They each scored 20 points in the loss. Cam Reddish was the only other Atlanta starter to finish with at least 10 points. 

Notable Game Stats

• Julius Randle (NYK): 25 points (9-of-15 FG), 12 rebounds, 3 assists
• Evan Fournier (NYK): 15 points (6-of-12 FG), 5 rebounds, 3 assists
• Kemba Walker (NYK): 10 points (3-of-12 FG), 12 assists, 10 rebounds
• Delon Wright (ATL): 20 points (8-of-13 FG), 4 rebounds, 3 steals
• John Collins (ATL): 20 points (7-of-18 FG), 8 rebounds
• Cam Reddish (ATL): 10 points (4-of-15 FG), 6 rebounds

Randle, Fournier Shine in Knicks' Win

Even with the caveat that this version of the Hawks isn't close to the squad they would normally be, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau has reasons to be optimistic about what he saw from his team in Saturday's win. 

Randle has had an inconsistent season coming off his All-Star appearance in 2020-21.

One of the biggest negative swings for the 27-year-old has been his three-point shooting, which has fallen nearly 10 full points from 41.1 percent last season to 32.0 percent this season entering Saturday. 

Randle had one of his best shooting days of the season against the Hawks. He went 9-of-15 overall from the field and made six of his nine three-point attempts. 

The Knicks aren't a team that has a go-to superstar, like the Hawks when Trae Young is available. They need balance from their entire roster to win, but Randle is going to be the player they turn to for a bucket when they need it. 

On Saturday, Randle was able to provide it. He wasn't alone in finding success against Atlanta's defense. 

Fournier had one of his most efficient games in a Knicks uniform. He scored the team's final 10 points of the first half to get the lead back up to 61-51 after the Hawks closed the deficit to four. 

Walker's recent performance presents Thibodeau with a good problem to deal with when the rest of the Knicks roster gets healthy. 

Thibodeau told reporters on Nov. 29 that Walker was taken out of New York's rotation for now because of his ongoing struggles. The four-time All-Star didn't appear in 10 straight games from Nov. 27 through Dec. 16, but he was forced back into the starting lineup for the past four games with the roster short-handed because of injuries and health and safety protocol. 

Walker has responded by averaging 31.3 points per game in three games before Saturday, including a season-high 44 on Thursday. His triple-double against the Hawks was his first since April 4, 2014. 

If Walker continues to play at this level, Thibodeau shouldn't hesitate to at least make him the first player off the bench to provide some offensive punch. 

Given how bunched up things are at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, Walker playing up to his ability could help lift New York back into the mix for at least a spot in the play-in tournament.     

Short-Handed Hawks Unable to Find Answers

It's impossible to draw any significant conclusions about the Hawks right now because of what their roster looks like. 

Head coach Nate McMillan did have three of their five regular starters available, but Young is so essential to everything the coaching staff wants to do on offense that not having him changes their dynamic. 

The Hawks didn't even play with a traditional point guard against the Knicks. Gorgui Dieng led the team with five assists off the bench. 

Bogdan Bogdanovic is still trying to find his shooting form since returning from an ankle injury. He scored just eight points on 2-of-12 shooting against the Knicks after making six of 26 attempts in the previous two games combined. 

Cam Reddish, making his third straight start, really struggled after two promising performances. He finished with 10 points and made just four of his 15 attempts from the field, though he did play well when the Hawks were trying to make a run late in the second half. 

Defense has never been a strength for the Hawks under McMillan. The Knicks won on the strength of shooting 40 percent from three-point range (20-of-50), and they made each of their first seven shots overall. 

Wright was one of the few bright spots for the Hawks. He scored more points Saturday than in the previous three games combined (19). 

If Wright can maintain this performance going forward, he will give the Hawks a useful rotation piece off the bench as they pursue a playoff spot. 

The Hawks are entering a crucial stretch that could determine what direction their season goes in. Eight of their next 11 games are against teams currently in the playoffs.     

What's Next?

The Hawks will host the Chicago Bulls in the first game of a home-and-home series on Monday at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Knicks will begin a four-game road trip against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center on Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET. 

This article will be updated to provide more information on this story as it becomes available.

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Ten years after his legendary Big East Tournament run, New York Knicks point guard Kemba Walker lit up Madison Square Garden once again as he dropped 44 points in a 124-117 loss to the Washington Wizards on Thursday.

Walker's best work occurred in the second quarter when he dropped 23 points. That effort included four three-pointers, including this one with Raul Neto guarding him:

Walker also carved up the Washington defense inside the arc, and he somehow hit this off-balance shot to put New York up 64-57 with fans chanting his name:

That capped a 15-point stretch over the final 3:19 of the first half, which included this three-pointer on the previous possession:

It was more of the same in the third quarter, as Walker scored 13 more points to give himself 41 before the fourth.

The former UConn star converted a four-point play after drilling this three:

Walker took advantage of whatever space he could take, and he used this sliver to give himself 37 on the night:

The 11-year veteran didn't score as much in the fourth quarter, but he kept finding his teammates for buckets, including Mitchell Robinson:

Walker also hit a clutch three in the fourth, losing his balance before regaining his composure well enough to cut Washington's lead to 104-100:

Walker's night harkened back memories of when he led the ninth-seeded UConn Huskies to the Big East title at the Garden. He was named tournament MVP after leading UConn to five wins in five days, averaging 26.0 points along the way.

Walker was removed from the Knicks' rotation after a 118-97 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Nov. 26. He missed the Knicks' next 10 games before returning Dec. 18 against the Boston Celtics.

Walker dropped 29 against the C's and 21 more against the Detroit Pistons before his 44-point outburst against Washington, so he's averaged 31.3 points per game since coming back into the rotation.

Walker was sensational, but the rest of the Knicks largely were not, especially on the defensive end.

Despite missing three-time All-Star leading scorer Bradley Beal, Washington shot 56.0 percent from the field and 16-of-37 from the three-point line.

Spencer Dinwiddie scored 21 points to lead seven Wizards in double figures. Kyle Kuzma hit a pair of huge three-pointers in the final minutes as well.

The Knicks did enough on offense to win, but they also shot just 6-of-28 from three-point range minus Walker's efforts.

With the loss, the Knicks fell to 14-18. Walker will look to lead New York to victory when the Knicks host the Atlanta Hawks at noon on Christmas Day.

Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal has been ruled out for Thursday's game against the New York Knicks after being placed in health and safety protocols, the team announced. 

Beal joins Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, in the protocols. 

The 28-year-old also missed time earlier in the season because of hip problems. He is averaging 23.3 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.9 assists in 28 games while shooting 45.6 percent from the field and a disappointing 28.3 percent from deep. 

Beal has been a staple in Washington's lineup since he was drafted third overall in 2012. Losing the three-time All-Star for any period of time certainly isn't good for Washington, as he's played a significant role for the 16-15 Wizards this season.  

With both Beal and Caldwell-Pope sidelined, the Wizards could rely on Aaron Holiday against the Knicks. The 6'1" point guard is averaging 6.0 points, 1.7 assists and 1.6 rebounds in 30 games. 

The Wizards offered Beal a four-year, $181.5 million extension in early October, but the veteran guard indicated he is in no rush to sign. He could potentially receive a more significant offer if he exercises his 2022-23 player option to become a free agent, or he could agree to a new deal over a shorter period of time. 

The New York Knicks announced they signed Danuel House Jr. to a 10-day contract.

The Houston Rockets waived House on Dec. 18. He averaged 4.8 points and 2.7 rebounds in 16 games with Houston this season.

The 28-year-old will be eligible to suit up for New York's matchup Thursday with the Washington Wizards. The Knicks also host the Atlanta Hawks on Christmas Day.

Like many other NBA teams, the Knicks are struggling to cope as the Omicron variant is causing a surge of new COVID-19 cases. Six players are unavailable, but RJ Barrett and Obi Toppin could return by Saturday.

"I think there’s so many variables to this season that you just take it day by day," head coach Tom Thibodeau said of the situation. "You know the one thing about the league in general is there’s always change, but to this degree is different."

House will provide some short-term relief in the frontcourt with Toppin and Kevin Knox II temporarily out of action.

For his career, the veteran forward is averaging 8.8 points, 3.7 rebounds and 0.4 blocks. He's also a 36.1 percent shooter from beyond the arc.

Considering the lengths to which some teams are going in order to meet the eight-player threshold, signing House is the best the Knicks can do in such a tight spot.