April 17, 2021: Donovan Mitchell Hurt, Tatis Returns, Randle Outshines Porzingis
Julius Randle's huge night is the cherry on top of Knicks' Porzingis trade.
Donovan Mitchell’s Ankle Injury Disrupts Historic Run
The basketball world held its collective breath on Friday, when Jazz star Donovan Mitchell had to be helped to the locker room after suffering a low-ankle sprain.
Pending MRI results, Adrian Wojnarowski reported Friday afternoon that there was “early optimism” the injury wasn’t “major,” but it’s still a blow that’s expected to sideline Mitchell for several games.
With the Jazz clinging to a small lead atop the Western Conference, Mitchell has been scorching hot of late. He averaged 36.8 points over the previous five games entering Friday, the most by any Utah player since 1998, and he already has three 40-point games this month.
It’s another unfortunate injury to a young star on a surging team, coming days after Jamal Murray’s devastating ACL tear, but a lower-ankle injury typically calls for a short absence than a high-ankle injury - we can only hope Mitchell recovers in time for a quick return.
Fernando Tatis Jr. Returns with a Bang
Less than two weeks after a shoulder injury sparked fears his season could be over, Padres’ shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. was back on the field against the Dodgers.
Tatis went 1-6 in a marathon 12-inning loss, but he hit a go-ahead solo home run in the 5th inning that triggered a roar from the limited-capacity Petco Park crowd.
It’s going to be worth monitoring whether Tatis can be 100% effective at the plate - he’s choosing a rest-and-rehab strategy to recover from a partially dislocated shoulder. Surgery was an option, but it would’ve kept him off the field for several months. The last thing the Padres need, though, is an ineffective Tatis undergoing surgery later than he had to.
Baseball is much more fun when Tatis is on the field. He seemed to have that effect on Friday, when the Padres and Dodgers played an outstanding game that went deep into the night. San Diego forced extra innings on a game-tying single in the bottom of the 9th, but the Dodgers would rally in the top of the 12th as the Padres ran out of effective pitchers.
Tatis only contributed the early home run, but there was a buzz around the Padres that hasn’t been there in a long time. They’re going to need his production if they want to keep that going.
Randle Outshines Porzingis as Knicks Surge
It’s been a storybook season for breakthrough Knicks forward Julius Randle, and the dream doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon.
Randle had one of the best games of his career on Friday night, exploding for 44 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists in a win over the Mavericks, leading the Knicks to their fifth consecutive victory.
The last three games might be the peak of Randle’s all-star season - he’s averaging 36.7 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists over the past three contests, all wins, and has the Knicks back over .500 at 30-27.
New York is a half-game out of the No. 4 seed and can realistically win a playoff series as a No. 4 or No. 5 seed, two realities even the most optimistic observers never would’ve seen coming.
The sweetest piece of Randle’s career night was the competition - it came against former Knicks big man Kristaps Porzingis, who still draws the ire of fans after forcing his way out of New York two years ago.
Porzingis has dealt with a combination of injuries and suspect defense since joining the Mavericks. He’s also under contract for more than $101 million over the next three years.
While 23 and 12 wasn’t a bad night in Friday’s loss, Porzingis proved he’s not Julius Randle - and that’s another sentence nobody would’ve expected to read before this season.