A lot of notable NBA media personalities are already writing the New York Knicks off as a play-in team at best. After last season, it is expected that the Knicks won’t be regarded highly, but they still are better than a play-in team.
Let’s be real. Everything that went wrong last season went wrong. Alec Burks was the starting point guard, and that alone should tell you how wacky 2021-22 was. When Kemba Walker signed with the Knicks, everyone expected him to be something close to his former self, and he was nothing close to that.
Injuries also plagued the Knicks’ season. Teams adjusted to Julius Randle being the only scoring option. Outside of him and RJ Barrett, no one could really generate any offense on a consistent basis. Now with a new and improved roster, Randle can focus on being efficient and playing physical again. He also won’t garner as much attention with Jalen Brunson and an improved Barrett.
The power forward can still be an All-Star with New York and help them more than people might think. In the preseason, he has looked stellar playing with this new-look roster. His turnovers are down and his percentages are up. His defense is also looking better, along with his overall demeanor on the court. Randle looks like he wants to be in New York, and most importantly, he wants to win.
For him to return to form, however, he’ll need to do these things.
4 ways Julius Randle can have an improved season with Knicks in 2022-23
4. Julius Randle and the Knicks need to forget last season
Randle went into last season expecting to take a backseat and play more off-ball if it meant more wins. The fact of the matter is that Kemba wasn’t what he used to be, Derrick Rose got hurt, and the losses started to come.
The season prior, Randle carried the Knicks and wanted to get back to those ways midseason. Unfortunately, the lightning wasn’t striking twice and the former MIP wasn’t enjoying the hate from the fans.
At the end of the day, though, Randle wants to win. Despite everything that occurred last season, fans and Randle himself need to just forget about it. The fact is, Jalen Brunson is 10 times better of a player than Kemba Walker is, and fans are already noticing that in the preseason. Brunson is simply the best thing that has happened to New York in a long time. They found their floor general.
Randle expressed his willingness to accept the fact that he won’t be getting the ball as much last season when Kemba signed. He needs to have that same attitude with Brunson’s arrival.
The young players on the Knicks roster have bought into winning, and if Randle buys back in, then New York could overachieve again.
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<p>— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/10/18/new-york-knicks-4-expectations-improved-julius-randle-2022-23/"https://twitter.com/nyknicks/status/1577455121658789888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>October 5, 2022</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>We saw Randle play very well this preseason without being the primary ball handler for the Knicks. This allowed him to focus on other areas of his game such as rebounding, defense, and passing. The points were still coming too.</p>
<p>Randle tallied up 17 assists in 95 total minutes, which equates to 6.6 assists per 36 mins. He also recorded 27 boards, which translates to just over 10 rebounds per 36 mins. And finally, he averaged just over 20 points per 36 mins during the preseason.</p>
<p>Julius shot very well inside the arc as well, going 12/20 total on 2-point attempts. If he is able to get to his spots, then fans will enjoy the production from the former All-Star.</p>
<h3>2. Julius needs to knock down his 3 point-shots</h3>
<p>The one area where Randle struggled in the preseason was from behind the arc. He shot a lousy 27% from three in his four preseason games. It is still early, but last season, he struggled from behind the arc, shooting 31%.</p>
<p>If threes are able to come consistently from Randle, then New York will be in a good spot. He doesn’t need to shoot a lot of them, but he still needs to be efficient from beyond the three-point line.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">"We'll learn how to play off each other…think the biggest thing is we'll be playing fast & a lot of movement…that'll create spacing. We'll all have to sacrifice & create spacing…we've all gotten better at shooting…”</p>
<p> – Julius Randle on offense with Jalen Brunson & RJ Barrett <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/10/18/new-york-knicks-4-expectations-improved-julius-randle-2022-23/"https://t.co/8WdJZwjKty">pic.twitter.com/8WdJZwjKty
<p>— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/10/18/new-york-knicks-4-expectations-improved-julius-randle-2022-23/"https://twitter.com/NBA_NewYork/status/1574643184642269184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>September 27, 2022</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>In his All-Star season, he was able to get easy finishes at the rim because defenders were forced to come out and guard him on the arc. When he is knocking down three balls, driving lanes open for Randle.</p>
<p>The space will open up not only just for Randle, but it will also open up lanes for others as well. He needs to be ready to fire off of the drive and kick from Brunson and Barrett. It will open the floor much more for the Knicks, allowing them to generate as many points as possible on offense.</p>
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<p>— Joey Ramirez (@JoeyARamirez) <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/10/18/new-york-knicks-4-expectations-improved-julius-randle-2022-23/"https://twitter.com/JoeyARamirez/status/936149411909922821?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>November 30, 2017</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>Not only do we need to see physicality on the defensive side, but we need to see that same energy on the offensive side as well.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/10/18/new-york-knicks-4-expectations-improved-julius-randle-2022-23/"https://twitter.com/J30_RANDLE?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>@J30_RANDLE GOT US HYPE.<a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/10/18/new-york-knicks-4-expectations-improved-julius-randle-2022-23/"https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAALLSTAR?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>#NBAALLSTAR</a> <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/10/18/new-york-knicks-4-expectations-improved-julius-randle-2022-23/"https://t.co/KtpZ23nScW">pic.twitter.com/KtpZ23nScW
<p>— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2022/10/18/new-york-knicks-4-expectations-improved-julius-randle-2022-23/"https://twitter.com/nyknicks/status/1479275155746693128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>January 7, 2022</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>Every good team has a guy who isn’t afraid to get physical down low. As great as Mitch is, he doesn’t have many post moves. Randle, on the other hand, has shown his ability to be a beast down low. He needs to be able to set hard screens and finish with energy at the rim.</p>
<p>Not only will this help the Knicks on the court, but it will help them off the court. When younger players see a veteran such as Randle playing hard, they will play just as hard. He needs to be able to establish himself as a leader, and being physical is the perfect way to do that.</p>
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