Julius Randle has been reminding us of the 2020-21 version
Knicks forward Julius Randle, center, looks to pass the ball between Rockets guards Quentin Grimes, left, and TyTy Washington Jr. during the second half of an NBA game on Dec. 31, 2022, in Houston. Credit: AP/Michael Wyke
HOUSTON — With just over two minutes left and the Knicks leading by nearly 20 points on Saturday, Julius Randle took flight to the rim for one final touch, catching a lob from Immanuel Quickley and slamming in a dunk to finish his night.
It was a forceful moment, a final exclamation point on 2022 as Randle sent the Knicks into the new year with a much-needed victory. The 108-88 win over the Rockets ended a five-game losing streak, and Randle’s performance capped a year that was a roller-coaster ride for him.
After a star turn in 2020-21 with an All-Star appearance and second-team All-NBA honors, he endured a nightmarish season in 2021-22 in which his play suffered and his mood was worse. He battled with the fans and seemed lost in a city he had owned just a season earlier.
While the Knicks have gone through ups and downs this season, they enter 2023 clinging to a 19-18 record and seventh place in the Eastern Conference, and Randle has had as much to do with the above-.500 record as anyone.
On Saturday night, he put up 35 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. In the last 13 games, he has averaged 29.5 points, 12.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists, and in the last four games, those numbers have escalated to 35.0 points, 12.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 41.6 minutes.
“He’s just had a monster month,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “We’re asking him to do a lot, too. He’s scoring, he’s passing, he’s rebounding. He’s playing big minutes, he’s handled it all.
“Julius was terrific. He got us to the bonus early, and we ended up getting a lot of free throws, which allowed us to set our defense, too. So that was important. But I also thought he made a lot of good plays. That got us into rhythm, got our team into rhythm. I think everyone shares in that responsibility, it’s not only what you can do for yourself but how can you help create the rhythm for the team. And so I thought he did that.”
The Knicks anticipate getting Jalen Brunson and RJ Barrett back soon. Although Brunson sat out all three games on the Texas trip with a hip issue and Barrett was lost with a lacerated right index finger just 1:36 into the first game, Randle has insisted publicly that there is no larger load on his shoulders. His play would indicate something else.
“Just locked in, focused,” he said. “Whatever my team needs to get it done. Just locked in and focused.
“Just really just reading the defense, letting the game decide what I should and shouldn’t do, and just being patient out there. I’m in a pretty good rhythm. But just trying to play the game the right way.”
The Knicks might not have either of their missing pieces back — and certainly won’t have Randle’s backup, Obi Toppin — on Monday afternoon when they host the Phoenix Suns, a far greater test than the Rockets. But with Randle playing at a level equal to what he did two years ago and some of the Knicks' young pieces benefiting from the increased responsibility, they believe they are on to something.
“It’s the nature of the league,” Thibodeau said. “You win eight in a row, then you have some tough losses, last-possession-type losses. That’s part of it. How do you respond? It’s not what happens to you. It’s how you respond to what happens to you. We took a haymaker. It stings. Then you’ve got to bounce back. You can’t look backwards. You’ve got to look ahead, what’s next? The games keep coming. You want to learn, grow, improve. And just keep doing it. You know throughout the course of the season there’s going to be ups and downs, and you have to navigate it all.”
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
