Julius Randle appears to be making progress.
The first positive sign was the sight, Sunday afternoon, of the All-Star forward without a walking boot on, and then came the news Tuesday that he took part in practice on a limited basis.
“He did some [work in practice]. Making steady progress. Taking it day-to-day,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “He’s doing some running, shooting, scripting, that sort of thing.”
Thibodeau said Randle, who sprained his left ankle during a March 29 win over the Heat at the Garden, did not take part in contact drills and is being evaluated every day by team doctors.
His status for Game 1 of the best-of-seven, opening-round playoff series on Saturday is uncertain.
“So when he’s ready to go, he’s ready to go,” the coach said. “But steady progress. Each day [is] a little bit better.”
Obi Toppin started in Randle’s place over the final five games of the regular season.
Other options include Josh Hart, RJ Barrett and even Jericho Sims playing the four if Randle is unable to play.
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The Knicks rested Jalen Brunson for their final three regular-season games after locking up the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference.
The team called it right-hand maintenance, referring to an injury that cost him two games in late March.
“Good, getting better. I’m able to do whatever I need to do,” Brunson said, when asked about the hand. “[Rest] definitely helps. But I’m ready to get going right now.
Brunson isn’t worried about any rust, though Saturday will be his first game in 13 days.
“I work too hard not to be confident in myself, that’s all,” he said.
Asked about Mavericks owner Mark Cuban’s comments that Dallas was never able to negotiate with him once he became a free agent last summer, and everything changed for the Mavericks once the Knicks hired his father, Rick Brunson, to join Thibodeau’s staff, Brunson declined to comment on the matter.
“I’m really focused on Cleveland right now,” Brunson said. “That’s all.”
