Randle, Knicks Disappear Down the Stretch vs. the Magic
Julius Randle is a "a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma."
Final Score: Knicks 94 - Magic 98
Record: 23-17
There were 2 minutes and 37 seconds remaining in regulation, and the Knicks trailed Orlando by one point when Julius Randle stepped to the free-throw line. Randle missed both freebies, but that was only the start of an inexcusably awful possession for New York's highest-paid player.
After missing the second FT, Randle jogs back down the floor. As he puts his hands on his knees, Cole Anthony (the Magic player he's supposed to be defending) cuts backdoor. Randle had no idea he'd lost his man until Anthony hustled to grab an offensive rebound on the other side of the floor. Anthony then dishes to Markelle Fultz while Randle is still near the three-point stripe. Fultz misses the lay-up but corrals another offensive rebound. As Fultz (a player who has not hit a single three-pointer this entire season) dribbles to the corner, Randle points at Paolo Banchero (Orlando's leading scorer), who catches the pass from Fultz and easily knocks down a 15-foot jumper, giving the Magic a three-point lead they would never relinquish.
Unfortunately, this frustrating sequence did not shock Knicks fans who have watched Randle up close for the past four years.
During a speech broadcast via radio throughout the United Kingdom in October 1939, Prime Minister Winston Churchill stated it was impossible to predict the USSR's plan of action because the Soviet leadership under Stalin was "a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma."
All too often, that famous phrase serves as an accurate description of Randle as well.
As I've noted repeatedly in this space, Randle's prolific production during the regular season is extremely valuable to the Knicks. Very few players in the NBA are capable of suiting up for 75+ games every season and averaging 24/10/5.
On nights when he's fully engaged, Randle is utterly unstoppable on the offensive end. And when his shot is dropping, he tends to lock in defensively, using his unmatched combination of size, strength and agility to flat-out dominate opponents.
However, interspersed in between All-NBA masterclasses are inexplicable duds.
The Knicks were kicking off a four-game homestand Monday against the Magic. A win would have bumped New York into fourth place in the conference. Yes, the 'Bockers were missing Jalen Brunson, but Orlando has been dealing with their own extensive injury issues and was without rising star Franz Wagner.
In these types of contests, New York desperately needs Randle to step up and take over, especially with RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley no longer on the team. And keep in mind, one of the reasons the Knicks traded for OG Anunoby was to help cover up Randle's defensive flaws.
Instead of having to cover Banchero, the Magic's starting power forward, Thibs stuck OG on Orlando's leading scorer. Randle was tasked with defending Chuma Okeke, who shoots below 39% from the floor and below 33% from downtown for his career and came into the contest averaging 3.4 points per game this season.
In the Monday matinee at MSG, OG limited Banchero (who came in averaging 26.5 PPG over his previous 20 games) to 20 points on 19 FG attempts.
Okeke poured in 15 points, shooting 5-of-7 from the floor and 4-of-5 from downtown. Per NBA tracking data, Randle defended Okeke 66% of the time he was on the floor (no other Knick was above 8%).
Randle finished with 15 points, shooting 5-of-18 from the field and 2-of-9 from downtown. In the fourth quarter, Randle scored two points, missed both of his FT attempts and didn't grab a single rebound. New York was leading by six points when Randle checked in with eight minutes left in the fourth quarter. They were outscored by 10 points in the eight minutes he was on the floor in the final frame.
Still, even the best shooters in the NBA will endure nights when their jumper isn't falling. What makes Randle such a frustrating/infuriating player for Knicks fans to root for is the lapses on the defensive end. Or worse, the complete indifference and lack of effort for entire possessions.
Some folks noted that Randle tweaked his ankle in the first quarter on Monday and deserved credit for playing through pain. However, he seemed unbothered by the ankle on the offensive end. Nonetheless, if the ankle was limiting him to the extent he could not attempt to defend or rebound, it's on Thibs to yank him out of the game. This is similar to what we saw in last year's playoffs. "Gutting it out" isn't praise-worthy if it forces your teammates to play 4-of-5 defensively.
For those of you who may not know, I'm a big Detroit Lions fan. My favorite football team just won their first playoff game in my adult lifetime and is a Baker Mayfield away from a shot at the NFC championship. Cliches and buzzwords like "tenacity" and "grit" get thrown around all the time in the sports world. But I can promise you the change in culture in/around the Detroit franchise since the arrival of head coach Dan Campbell and GM Brad Holmes is very, very real.
The coach doesn't expect his players to compete; he demands they do. If their effort level isn't up to snuff and/or they aren't completely committed, the GM removes them from the roster.
Despite the red flags, the Knicks front office and the head coach have been fully committed to Julius Randle since they arrived. Will that come back to bite them in the postseason once again?
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Knicks Centric to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.