Hawks rule out backup center Jock Landale for start of playoff series against the Knicks

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ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Hawks center Jock Landale will miss at least the first two weeks of the NBA playoffs because of his sprained right ankle.

Landale averaged 9.1 points and 4.1 rebounds in 23 regular-season games with Atlanta. He sustained a high ankle sprain on April 1 at Orlando. The Hawks say he “is progressing in his rehabilitation” and “will be re-evaluated in approximately two weeks.” An update is expected after his re-evaluation.

Atlanta is the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs and opens its first-round series at the third-seeded New York Knicks on Saturday.

The Hawks addressed a lack of depth at center — Kristaps Porzingis has been unavailable much of the season and N’Faly Dante is out for the year — by acquiring Landale from Utah for cash considerations in early February. He never played for the Jazz and was with them less than a day after being part of an eight-player trade involving Memphis.

The 30-year-old Landale averaged 11.3 points and 6.5 rebounds in 45 games for Memphis.

The Australian is in his fifth NBA season. He made his NBA debut with San Antonio in the 2021-22 season and also has played for Phoenix and Houston.

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