Knicks Close Out 2022 With a Much-Needed Win

Julius Randle was one of only four players to average at least 28 points, ten boards and four dimes in December. The other three were Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic.

The Knicks arrived in Houston anchored by a five-game losing streak that was the result of shoddy defense. 

Early in Saturday night's matchup with the Rockets, it looked as though New York might carry those poor habits into the New Year. The Knicks gave up 35 points in the first quarter, allowing Houston to shoot over 60% from the floor and 67% from behind the arc. 

However, much to the relief of many Knicks fans getting ready to watch the ball drop in Times Square, the 'Bockers didn't drop the ball in Texas.

New York ratcheted up their defensive intensity and turned the game around, limiting Houston to just 14 points in the second quarter. In fact, over the final three quarters, the Rockets scored just 53 points on 30.5% shooting as they converted just six of their final 34 three-point attempts. 

It's important to point out that Houstoun is an awful basketball team. The young, rebuilding Rockets have just ten wins on the season, tied for the fewest in the NBA. They committed 24 turnovers Saturday night, which led to a bevy of easy buckets for the 'Bockers en route to a 108-88 victory. 

And, most importantly, the Rockets had no answer for Julius Randle, who capped off a red-hot December by racking up 35 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and five 3-pointers in 39 minutes. 

2022 was a tumultuous year for Mr. Randle. He was frequently ripped, rightfully so, for his inconsistent defensive effort and inefficient offense. He often compounded the problem by handling the criticism poorly and acting unprofessionally.

Yet, he's been a beast of late and deserves plenty of credit for his remarkable offensive production. This week he became just the third player in NBA history to record at least 35 points, ten rebounds, five assists and five treys in back-to-back contests. Over his past six games, Randle is averaging 33.2 points, 12.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 4.2 made three-pointers, while shooting a scorching 52.6% from the floor and 42.4% from downtown. 

Saturday was the seventh time since the start of the 2020-21 season that Randle has scored more than 30 points, grabbed more than ten rebounds and dished out more than five assists. No other player in Knicks franchise history has more than four such games. In fact, Randle has twice as many such games as all other Knicks this century combined.

"He's just had a monster month," coach Tom Thibodeau said after Saturday's win. "We're asking him to do a lot, too. He's scoring, he's passing, he's rebounding." Randle was one of only four players to average at least 28 points, ten boards and four dimes in December. The other three were Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic. 

The other Knick that shined bright deep in the heart of Texas this week was Immanuel Quickley. Starting in place of Jalen Brunson (sore right hip) for the third straight game, IQ finished Saturday's win with 27 points (9-of-25 FGs), five rebounds, seven assists, three steals, and four 3-pointers in 40 minutes. He averaged 25.3 points, 9.7 helpers (vs. just 1.3 turnovers) and 5.0 rebounds during NY's three-game road trip. Yes, his shooting percentage (35.6%) was far from ideal, but this is clearly a player with a special skill set. As we've repeated consistently in this newsletter, IQ should be viewed as a key part of the team's future plans, not a trade chip.