Heat Knicks Basketball

Knicks forward Julius Randle grimaces as he leaves the court Wednesday after injuring his left ankle against the Miami Heat. Mary Altaffer/Associated Press

NEW YORK — Julius Randle will miss the rest of the regular season because of a sprained left ankle, and his availability for the playoffs – if the New York Knicks make it – is in doubt.

Randle was hurt Wednesday in a victory over Miami, and the Knicks said Thursday that the All-Star forward would be re-evaluated in two weeks. That would be two days before the postseason is scheduled to open on April 15.

The Knicks are in good shape to qualify for the postseason; they’re fifth in the Eastern Conference with five games to play. But it’s hard to imagine they would be a threat to advance without Randle, who leads them with 25.1 points and 10 rebounds per game.

He was hurt in the second quarter Wednesday when Bam Adebayo landed on him after Randle grabbed an offensive rebound and pump-faked the Heat center into the air. Randle stayed in to shoot free throws but then immediately left the game, limping directly to the locker room.

He has started all 77 games this season.

KINGS: While a throng of purple-clad visiting fans were already celebrating, De’Aaron Fox was watching from the bench as the moments ticked down in Sacramento’s 120-80 victory Wednesday night against the Portland Trail Blazers.

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For Fox, drafted by the Kings in 2017, the wait was finally over. Sacramento clinched a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 2006.

“We want to do bigger things, but 16 years – that’s a long time,” Fox said.

Fox finished with 18 points in the victory, which also gave the Kings home-court advantage. The team’s 16-year playoff drought was the longest in NBA history, and the longest active postseason dry spell among teams in the NBA, NFL, NHL and Major League Baseball.

“Definitely with this team, I think you’re just playing for a higher purpose,” Fox said. “And I think we have a team that’s capable and we know that we can continue to get better.”

The last time the Kings made the playoffs, Fox was 8 years old.

Keegan Murray made his 188th 3-pointer of the season with 6:44 to go in the third quarter to set an NBA rookie record, passing Donovan Mitchell’s mark of 187 set in 2017-18.

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Malik Monk finished with 19 points off the bench and Kevin Huerter added 17. The Kings fans at Portland’s Moda Center celebrated with the team’s rallying cry, “Light the Beam!”

“For all the support they’ve given us over the years, continuing to come to the arena, heartbreak, frustration and disappointment season after season,” forward Harrison Barnes said. “To finally get this moment for them, it’s everything.”

The Kings (46-30) are third in the Western Conference, behind the Denver Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies.

Rookie Shaedon Sharpe had 30 points for the Trail Blazers, who have lost four straight and 10 of their last 11 games. The loss to the Kings eliminated Portland from playoff contention.


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