bulls

Knicks’ Julius Randle details heated exchange with Evan Fournier after first half collapse

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julius randle, knicks, evan fournier

With the first half coming to an end on Thursday evening against the Chicago Bulls, the New York Knicks stepped off the floor in disarray. After allowing 37 points in the first quarter and 32 points in the second quarter, Knicks’ forward Julius Randle and guard Evan Fournier were seen arguing as they walked off the floor in a heated exchange.

Both players suggested it was a form of communication, and that it benefited the team as a whole, coming out entirely different in the second half, mounting a 21 point comeback despite the loss.

“It looks like we’re arguing,” Randle said. “…. We went to the locker room (to) talk it out. We say regardless, at the end of the day we’ve got each other’s back and we’re in this together. That’s important.

Competitive communication is a positive, and it clearly helped the Knicks score 32 points in the third quarter, holding Chicago to just 20.

“…. You can have differences. You can communicate and talk and say what you see on the court. But at the end of the day, we’ve got to know that we’re riding with each other regardless.

Randle finished the game with 30 points, despite missing several clutch free throws down the stretch and turning the ball over in the most important moment. With fatigue building and a lack of awareness, Randle helped blow a second consecutive game, something the Knicks simply cannot afford to do after fighting their way back in both contests against Brooklyn and Chicago.

However, it is good to see the players showing competitive spirit, as Fournier indicated communication like this needs to happen, as letting things boil can lead to bigger issues.

“I think the key was communicating,” Fournier said afterward. “I would rather have that than not saying anything and hold grudges and stuff. So, stuff like that happens all the time and I’m glad it happened, because we played much better in that third quarter.”

The Knicks one will look ahead to the Denver Nuggets on Saturday afternoon at 1 PM. Denver has lost seven of their last eight games, recently falling to the Orlando Magic, arguably the worst team in basketball.

The Knicks have a fantastic opportunity to bounce back and get back on the win column after falling to .500 on the season.

Bulls 119, Knicks 115: Chicago stifles triumphant Knicks comeback

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derrick rose, obi toppin, knicks

The New York Knicks faced off against the Chicago Bulls in a shootout on Thursday night, with the final score 119-115. Despite a resilient effort, the Knicks deserved to lose this game, finding themselves down 21 points in the first half before mounting an incredible comeback in the third quarter. Unfortunately, New York was unable to extract a victory, losing their second consecutive contest by four points or less.

The Knicks took a late lead for just a moment before DeMar DeRozan hit a number of shots to give the Bulls an advantage. In fact, DeRozan finished with 34 points, hitting 12-of-19 shots from the field and 10-of-11 free throws. He also contributed six rebounds and three assists.

DeRozan wasn’t the only Chicago star to post double-digit points, as Nikola Vucevic posted 27, hitting 10-of-18 shots from the field and 5-of-9 from three-point range. Zach LaVine, who shot lights out, recorded 27 as well, hitting 50% of his shots from the field and 3-of-6 from deep.

The Knicks found their groove in the second half partly because they began to understand Chicago’s game. With smaller players, the Knicks played physically and dominated the interior, as Julius Randle posted 30, hitting 14-of-21 shots from the field and picking up 12 rebounds.

The starting team as a whole played well for New York in the 2nd half, with Alec Burks contributing 16 points over 43 minutes and Evan Fournier posting 16, shooting 40% from three-point range. Fournier also earned four steals in the game, a high for both teams.

Off the bench, Obi Toppin scored eight points, recording two steals and four rebounds. While he allowed a few costly turnovers, he played with energy and made several defensive stops to keep the Knicks in the game.

Unfortunately, the difference in this game was the turnovers, as the Knicks posted 18, eight of which came in the first quarter. They managed to fight back in the second half, with Chicago turing the ball over 15 times.

Despite another resilient effort, New York will go home tonight with a somber feeling, exerting maximum effort but unable to secure victory. They will look forward to the Denver Nuggets, who should offer a better opportunity at victory compared to Brooklyn or Chicago. Their next game is on Saturday afternoon at 1 PM, so they have a bit of time to rest up before then.