TORONTO, ON - JANUARY 6: Julius Randle #30 of the New York Knicks dribbles the ball against Precious Achiuwa #5 of the Toronto Raptors during the first half of their basketball game at the Scotiabank Arena on January 6, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mark Blinch/Getty Images)
Julius Randle proves why he deserves to be All-Star in Knicks win
With the first return of All-Star votes coming out on Thursday, many New York Knicks fans were surprised to see that Julius Randle was not in the top 10 in the Eastern Conference frontcourt for his exceptional play as of late.
Randle had a bit of a rough start to the season, but his play recently has been nothing short of fantastic, as in the last 15 games (excluding Friday’s game versus TOR) Randle is averaging 29.1 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game while shooting 46.5% from the field and 36.2% from three on 9.4 attempts.
This season in general for Randle has arguably been better than his All-NBA season back in 2020-21, which makes it even more surprising that he didn’t crack the top 10. However, last night’s game against the Raptors should show the league that he needs to be on that roster.
Julius Randle showed everyone why he needs to be an All-Star in win over Raptors
Julius Randle started the game off incredibly hot, hitting five threes in a row after missing his first shot, racking up 19 points in the first quarter. While he would eventually slow down a bit, he ended the game with 32 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists, shooting 10-of-22 from the field and 6-of-11 from three.
As I mentioned before, this year has been amazing for Randle, but since RJ Barrett went down with a finger injury, Randle has put the Knicks on his back offensively and this game was no different.
The Knicks had a bit of a close call towards the end as when they were up 10 with two minutes left on the clock, the Raptors began to play some incredible basketball to bring it within two with 42 seconds left. However, thanks to a huge Jalen Brunson and-one, the Knicks were able to pull the game out.
Closing out games has been a problem for the Knicks a few times this season, but with the number of wins they’ve racked up as of late, it’s hard to complain. Thankfully, Brunson put his big boy pants on down the stretch and delivered New York its fourth win in a row.
Another thing that was noteworthy from this game is that Tom Thibodeau seemingly cut down the rotation even more, only playing Jericho Sims for four minutes Considering that the Knicks should be getting both Obi Toppin and Barrett back soon, it will be interesting to see what Thibs does with the rotation.
New York is set to have two days off before facing the Bucks on Monday. This game will be a huge test for a team that is trying to prove itself as one of the best in the Eastern Conference. Holding down Giannis Antetokounmpo will be no easy feat, but if Randle and Brunson keep this level of play up the Knicks can beat a lot of teams in this league.
