Some of Julius Randle’s numbers right now are strikingly similar to his All-NBA season for the Knicks a couple of years ago.
He’s averaging 24.2 points and 9.9 rebounds per game, on par with his averages from the 2020-21 season (24.1 points and 10.1 rebounds).
But if you ask him, there’s a big difference between how he’s getting his numbers this season.
“Honestly, it’s a lot easier now,” Randle said on Monday. “I attribute a lot of that to Jalen (Brunson), obviously. Quick (Immanuel Quickley), our guards. QG (Quentin Grimes) spacing the floor. I’m not having to work so hard to get buckets, so the game is a lot easier, a lot easier on my body.”
Randle’s production has made things a lot easier on the Knicks.
Since New York went to a nine-man rotation, Randle has put up 28.6 points, 12.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. The Knicks are 10-5 in that span. It’s been a season-changing stretch. Prior to that run, New York seemed on the verge of another lost season.
Randle’s play, the Knicks’ revamped defense and the presence of Brunson are three of several key factors in the revival.
Here’s Tom Thibodeau on the impact Brunson has had on Randle:
“(He) allows Julius to move around more. Often times, he’s playing in space, and when Julius is playing in space, he’s very hard to guard,” the head coach said after Randle had 28 points, 16 rebounds and six assists in a win over the Phoenix Suns. “He can mix his scoring, versatility — whether it’s the post, pick and roll, him and Jalen in a two-man game or him just triggering action. I think that’s been real good.”
Again, the numbers support Thibodeau’s theory.
Since the Knicks went to a nine-man rotation, the club is shooting 49 percent from the floor and 41 percent from beyond the arc when Randle and Brunson share the court. The Knicks are outscoring teams by 9.4 points per 100 possessions with Randle and Brunson on the floor.
Randle leads the league in minutes in that span. He’s also second in total rebounds, fourth in total free throw attempts, sixth in fouls drawn, and ranks 25th in usage since the Knicks cut their rotation.
New York has outscored opponents by 142 points in that span, an NBA high.
“That man has been focused,” Brunson says of Randle. “He’s playing with a clear head. He’s having fun.”
He’s also taking good shots. Randle’s attempting just two shots per game in the mid-range this season, down from 4.2 per game last season. Forty-three percent of his shot attempts are threes this year, up from 31 percent from last year. You can credit Brunson for much of that shift. And some Knicks fans are starting to notice.
In the second half of Monday’s game, Randle heard long, loud MVP chants from the Garden crowd when he was at the free throw line. When he checked out late in the game, the crowd showered him with a strong ovation.
It was striking to think back to a year ago, when Randle and the home crowd were at odds. The constant booing got to Randle. His shooting dipped. He used explicit language to express his displeasure. Things got ugly.
Fast forward roughly 12 months, and Randle is soaking in adulation from a sold out Garden crowd again.
“It’s good to be on the good side of the Garden,” Randle said, laughing. “It’s definitely a lot better feeling to be on that side.”