The New York Knicks opened their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Miami Heat on Sunday at Madison Square Garden without forward Julius Randle, who last week aggravated the ankle sprain initially sustained in his team’s March 29 home victory over the Heat.
Randle left the Knicks’ series-clinching Game 5 opening-round victory Wednesday night over the Cleveland Cavaliers and had been receiving treatment leading up to Sunday’s decision.
Of the Knicks lacking Randle, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said pregame, “It’s still going to come down to competition, who’s going to get to whose game.”
Obi Toppin replaced Randle in the Knicks’ starting lineup.
The Heat remained shorthanded, with starting guard Tyler Herro breaking his right hand in the series opener against the Milwaukee Bucks that the Heat took in five games, and backup guard Victor Oladipo sidelined in Game 3 of that opening-round series with a torn patellar tendon in his left knee.
Both Herro and Oladipo have since undergone surgery.
Game 2 of Heat-Knicks is Tuesday at Madison Square Garden.
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