julius randle

Knicks: Julius Randle and Tom Thibodeau have opposite views of defensive quality

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knicks, julius randle

One of the Knicks‘ biggest concerns this year has been defensive efficiency. They currently rank 23rd with a 111 defensive rating, far below their 4th place ranking during the 2020–21 season.

The dramatic falloff was a result of Reggie Bullock and Elfrid Payton leaving the team in free agency, a move that everybody assumed it would be positive after adding more offensive weapons. However, Kemba Walker has been a liability, providing nonexistent defense and spotty offensive production, and Evan Fournier has produced a similar result.

The Knicks needed their All-Star power forward, Julius Randle, to step up and have another elite season, but he has struggled on both ends of the ball, watching his three-point percentage plummet to 33.5% at his defensive rating elevate to 113.2 from 106.8 last year.

Randle believes he’s playing great defense, though, the opposite message Tom Thibodeau conveyed regarding everybody on the team.

“I feel like I’m playing pretty good,” Randle said regarding his defense, via the NY Post. “Being able to switch, guard perimeter players and post players. Versatility, being able to do that. So whatever coach asks me, whatever he needs me to do, I’m going to go out there and do it 100 percent. But yeah, I feel like I’m pretty good on that end.”

Thibodeau indicated that everybody needs to contribute more, not just a singular individual. Communication, energy, effort, and positioning have all been negative factors leading to a sub .500 team.

“We gotta get more from everyone,” Tom Thibodeau said regarding Randle’s efficiency. “It’s not an individual thing. It’s a team thing, so we gotta get everyone playing better.”

Randle currently hosts a -7.5 net rating, his lowest since the 2016–17 season with the Los Angeles Lakers. His offensive production has improved since then, but he has fallen away from his previous All-Star form. He connected on 40% of three-point shots last season, making him a more efficient scorer and adding a different element to his game.

At this point in the year, though, it is evident that the Knicks lack a star player to pair with a Randle. He, unfortunately, does not possess the quality to dominate at a level that puts his team in a position to win on a nightly basis. He’s not a Kevin Durant or James Harden level player, who the Brooklyn Nets have just a train ride away.

The players need to start taking responsibility for their performances, indicating in previous days that their energy hasn’t been completely present. It seems as if they may lack a motivating leader behind the scenes to help elevate the squad.

Do the Knicks have a Julius Randle problem? | What do the stats say?

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knicks, julius randle

The New York Knicks have completely adapted to the analytics age, making decisions based on probabilities and expectations due to numerical values. However, their statistics have led them down an interesting path, one that has backfired tremendously after signing Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier this past off-season to contribute more offensive production.

At this point in the season, Walker has already been benched due to lack of defense, and Fournier is wildly inconsistent on both sides of the floor. However, they likely didn’t anticipate Julius Randle taking such a massive step backward in his progression.

During Randle’s All-Star campaign in 2020–21, he posted incredible defensive and offensive metrics. Over 37.6 minutes per game, he recorded a 106.8 defensive rating paired with a 109.8 offensive. It was the first time he recorded a positive net rating in his career, logging career highs in assist/turnover ratio and the lowest turnover ratio in his career.

Via his advanced statistics, he had the highest Player Impact Estimate (PIE measures a player’s overall statistical contribution against the total statistics in games they play in) over his first six seasons in the league at 15.8. Altogether, he was contributing elite play on both ends of the floor, which justified the Knicks extending him on a four-year, $117 million deal.

Randle was capable of dominating by himself last season, thanks to incredible defense and effort. This season, though, everything has fallen apart as the communication with the starting five has degraded, and the trust of his teammates has also been reduced to a minimum.

A bit of natural regression was expected after posting incredible stats last season, shooting 45.6% from the field and 41% from three-point range, averaging 24.1 points per game. This season, his average points have fallen to 19.6 per game and is shooting just 33.5% from three-point range, a massive difference despite maintaining his 5.5 attempts.

In fact, Randle is connecting on just 25.5% of wide-open 3-PT shots this season, when he was hitting 40% last year. That’s purely a confidence metric.

A drop-off of nearly 8% in three-point hit rate is astronomical, showing that Julius simply isn’t converting shots at the same pace he did during his All-Star season. He is still managing to score at an adequate rate despite his fall in shooting efficiency. It is his defense that stands out as a primary liability, something that analysts aren’t talking enough about.

It seems a lack of focus and energy has been a culprit for Randle’s struggles, or maybe even the team’s free-agent moves. He’s allowing 10.7 opponent fast-break points per game, the highest number since 2017 with the Los Angeles Lakers. He’s also giving up a career-high 9.5 points on opponent second chances. In other words, his defensive rebounding has taken a step back, which wasn’t expected.

One statistic that stands out is a career-high 34.1% percentage of teams turnovers. He is turning the ball over at such a significant rate that he represents more than a quarter of the team’s entire number in the category.

Whether it be a lack of focus or just natural regression, it is clear that Randle isn’t capable of leading a team as a No.1  player. The Knicks desperately need to find him a partner in crime to help elevate his game, something everyone acknowledged during the off-season, and the front office failed to do. The pressure seems too much for a leader that seems to be exerting more energy yelling at the referees than motivating his team.

Marc Berman of the NY Post backed up that claim, with a source saying the locker room may be getting murky:

One source believes locker-room leadership has started to become an issue. Randle is not a born leader, self-admittedly the quiet type, as is Derrick Rose.

Randle is not known for his leadership qualities, so maybe the Knicks are dealing with a mentality and identity crisis without a vocal leader behind the scenes and on the floor.

Do these numbers indicate a Randle is a bad player? Absolutely not.

In fact, Julius is still an incredible scorer that has simply witnessed a dramatic drop-off in defensive quality. The reason behind his 3-PT drop-off seems more based on shot selection and confidence. These are mostly effort and positioning-based variables, so clearly, the change in starters with Kemba and Fournier impacted him in some way. The presence of Reggie Bullock and Elfrid Payton were mostly defensive boosters, and it’s clearly having some strange impact on Randle’s performance.

What do you think of Randle’s season so far? Why do you think he’s experienced such a massive drop-off in quality? Comment here!

Knicks need ‘aggressive’ Julius Randle as COVID-19 continues to strike

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The New York Knicks are down four men as they embark on a two-game road trip in Houston and Boston to end the week.

Kevin Knox joined RJ Barrett, Obi Toppin, and Quentin Grimes in the health and safety protocols, the team announced on Thursday morning, less than 12 hours before tipoff against the Rockets.

With Knox out, it’s almost certain that Julius Randle’s playing minutes will reach the 40s. New York coach Tom Thibodeau will have to break the glass and pull out emergency backup big Taj Gibson to spell Randle some breather, especially when the Rockets play rookie power forward Usman Garuba off the bench.

Garuba played 17 minutes in the Rockets’ 124-89 loss to the Cavaliers Wednesday night in Cleveland.

Coming off a 31-point explosion in the Knicks’ latest loss to the Golden State Warriors at home, Randle is looking to have another big night. He should have an easier time against 6-4 Jae’Sean Tate and 6-6 KJ Martin, the two Rockets’ undersized forwards.

Randle regained his shooting touch in the second half against the Warriors. The 6-foot-8, 250-pound Knicks forward scored 25 of his game-high 31 points in the final two quarters. He went 5 for 6 from deep, catching rhythm as he abandoned his pump fakes and fired without hesitation.

“I just locked in and said I’m going to be aggressive,” Randle said after the loss. “I think when I overthink, naturally I try to be unselfish and try to kind of think the game and get everybody going and stuff like that. But I just said I’m going to be aggressive and kind of let my instincts take over.”

According to NBA’s tracking data, Randle hit 50 percent of his catch and shoot attempts, including 4 for 7 from the 3-point zone. In the eight games before the Warriors’ game or since Kemba Walker was out of the rotation, Randle only shot 25 percent off catch and shoot, including 26.1 percent from the outside.

“When I’m naturally just myself, I naturally do those things,” Randle said. “I’m hesitant and overthinking and I got an open shot and I don’t shoot it or whatever it is or I’m trying to play the right way and get other people going, it kind of takes me out of rhythm. It takes away from my aggressiveness.”

“It’s crazy because then I start to get turnovers and stuff like that. When I’m naturally aggressive and playing with force, everything falls into place. I get in a rhythm and I start not overthinking, open and shoot it, if they close out, then get into the paint and find people.”

Randle was prolific in the second half, hitting 7 of 12 shots, and only had one turnover in 20 minutes against the Warriors’ league-best defense. He also attacked the rim and made 6 of 6 free throws. In the first half, he had zero attempts from the stripes.

Overall, Randle made 4 of 7 shots within 10 feet from the basket, on par with his average attempts during the eight-game stretch entering Tuesday’s game. His attacking threat gave him some open looks from the outside. He had 12 open shots (4 to 6 feet from the closest defender), and he sank five of them. In the last eight games before Tuesday, he was only hitting 38.5 percent on 4.9 open look attempts.

“When he’s aggressive like that, it makes us better. And I love to see him when he’s attacking the rim,” Thibodeau said. “That puts a lot of pressure on people and it opens up things for us. And then I think he got into a good rhythm doing that. But we need everyone.”

Randle only had three assists, one in the second half. But it wasn’t like he did not try to move the ball and find his teammates. According to the NBA tracking data, Randle made 62 passes, resulting in 15 field goals for his teammates. Unfortunately, his teammates only hit 4 of 15.

Randle is still trying to strike a balance between when to pass and when to take over. But with their roster gutted out by COVID-19, the Knicks need an aggressive Randle to charge up their flailing offense.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

 

What a Ben Simmons trade could look like for Knicks

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knicks, julius randle

The New York Knicks have emerged as one of the several teams interested in trading for disgruntled Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons.

Shams Charania of The Athletic broke the latest intel on Simmons on Monday.

The Knicks are struggling to perform to expectations following their first playoff appearance in eight years. Their offseason acquisitions — Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier — have not panned out well. They will be eligible to be traded starting Wednesday along with several players the Knicks re-signed last summer.

The 25-year old Simmons would fit Tom Thibodeau’s defensive style. But his character, especially his mental toughness, is questionable in the aftermath of his falling out with the Sixers organization. Add to that a shaky perimeter shot that hasn’t improved since his rookie season. But a fresh start in a new environment could reinvigorate Simmons.

However, the big question for the Knicks is if Simmons could not stand Philadelphia’s tough love, how much more in New York where pressure has driven executives, coaches, and players out of the city in the past?

Can Simmons thrive under Thibodeau’s culture of accountability?

The next question is, how can they meet 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey’s stiff asking price?

Morey is reportedly still eyeing an All-Star caliber player and/or multiple first-round draft picks for Simmons.

The Knicks have plenty of draft capital to move in a potential Simmons deal. They own all their future first-round picks plus future first-round picks from Charlotte (top-18 protected in 2022, top-16 protected in 2023, top-14 protected in 2024), and Dallas (top-10 protected in 2023).

But the Knicks have only Julius Randle as their All-Star. But he is not eligible to be traded until February 3 next year. Walker is two years removed from his last All-Star. But his current benching isn’t helping his value.

The Sixers, though, would be an ideal landing spot for Walker. His veteran leadership and still potent jump shot could spur a better dynamic with Joel Embiid than Simmons. That is if Walker’s balky knees cooperate. Walker has missed two games in a pair of back-to-back sets before his demotion.

Simmons landing in New York is a long shot unless the Knicks find a third team or the 76ers are amenable to getting Walker, one of the Knicks’ young players, and a combination of salary fillers plus future first-round pick/s.

The Knicks have stiff competition from the Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers, and Cleveland Cavaliers, per Charania’s report.

Most of their rivals have a surplus of All-Star caliber players in their current roster. But the Knicks have the advantage of having a deeper draft capital.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

 

Knicks’ tough loss to Raptors magnifies one of their weakest links

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Forget about Julius Randle’s missed three-pointer. Forget about RJ Barrett’s miss at the buzzer.

The New York Knicks could have completed their 20-point comeback if only they secured the long rebound, which led to Gary Trent, Jr.’s backbreaking triple.

That shot swung the momentum and the lead back to the Raptors as they escaped with a hard-fought 90-87 win against a Knicks team that showed great resolve after another poor start.

“The second shot hurt us,” New York coach Tom Thibodeau said. “It was a shame not to come out of here with a win, but the way we started the game really hurt us.”

The same issue plagued the Knicks at the start of the game. They dug a 20-point hole in the first quarter as they gave up five more rebounds to the Raptors and four turnovers. Toronto took advantage and cashed in with a combined 11 points on transition and off turnovers. It didn’t help that the Raptors shot 5 of 9 3s and took seven more free throws.

“So we got into a big hole and had a fight,” Thibodeau said. “And then we downsized to get more shooting onto the floor and then the rebounding hurt us in the end.”

After Obi Toppin missed two consecutive three-pointers in the fourth quarter, Thibodeau decided to pull him out. By the time Evan Fournier subbed Toppin, the Knicks’ energetic second-year forward had already logged in his first career double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds in 24 minutes, all career-highs. But his missed shots were a sign of exhaustion after playing straight from the final 2:12 of the third quarter up to the 3:40 mark of the fourth quarter. That was more than 10 minutes straight of running up and down the court.

Thibodeau’s tactical adjustment to counter the Raptors’ zone defense down the stretch backfired as the small-ball lineup on the floor got outrebounded in the most crucial time. The Knicks’ closing lineup of Derrick Rose, Alec Burks, Evan Fournier, Barrett, and Randle outscored the Raptors, 10-6, but gave up two crucial offensive rebounds in the most pivotal play of the game.

“You can’t take off, you can’t stand and stare. You got to turn and check,” Thibodeau said. “Because of the way people shoot, there are going to be a lot of long rebounds. That’s your guards’ responsibility but oftentimes you see offenses are inverted where the big guys are out. And so you have to find a body. That’s what we didn’t do. That has to be corrected.”

But the film tells otherwise.

Rose, Burks, and Barrett all found a body to box out after Trent, Jr.’s first three-point attempt hit the back iron. But they could only do so much against 6-8 Pascal Siakam, 6-7 Scottie Barnes, and 6-9 Chris Boucher. Randle missed the rebound because he went too deep, and Siakam tapped the ball out to Fred Van Vleet, who missed another 3-point attempt. Barnes got the long rebound from the left elbow and passed it to Van Vleet, who quickly swung it back to Trent, Jr. for his redemption shot.

The Raptors grabbed the lead, 89-87, and never relinquished it.

“We outrebounded them but we gave up costly ones when it counted the most,” Thibodeau said.

The Knicks won the battle of the boards overall, 55-48, and had two more offensive rebounds than the Raptors. Two offensive rebounds cost them the game. Even if Thibodeau can correct the Knicks’ gang rebounding deficiency, it will just be a band-aid solution. It’s not that the Knicks guards lacked the effort and awareness to box out. But the reality is, the Knicks’ inability to field a rebounding big man who can also be a threat against the zone defense is the biggest weakness of the current roster.

Even with Nerlens Noel and Mitchell Robinson not at full health, the Knicks are still among the top 10 rebounding teams in the NBA. Last season, they finished tied for eighth with 45.1 per game. After Friday night’s loss in Toronto, the Knicks are ninth with 45.7 rebounds per game.

Noel and Robinson only played a combined 35 minutes and 15 seconds on the floor against the Raptors due to lingering health and conditioning issues. They produced 10 points and 10 rebounds combined. But even when they are healthy, they don’t possess a decent outside shot or even a midrange jumper that can keep the defense honest.

Toppin can grow into that role if he develops a consistent outside shot. But until that happens, they need outside help.

If the Knicks are to salvage this season, point guard won’t be the priority at the trade deadline. A big man who can space the floor on offense and be a decent pick-and-roll defender and rim protector should be their top target. That way, they can optimize Randle as a bully point forward next to Burks. A floor-spacing center will unclog the paint for Randle and even for Barrett to attack the rim rather than settle for long jumpers.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

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

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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.

The puzzle piece Knicks’ Tom Thibodeau desperately needs

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knicks, julius randle

With 1:36 minutes left against the Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks power forward Julius Randle drew a technical foul, providing Kevin Durant with a chance to extend Brooklyn’s lead to three points.

That decision made a comeback for the Knicks even more unlikely, changing their strategy down the stretch and forcing them to settle for a two point shot. About 50 seconds later, Randle converted on a dunk, but due to the technical foul, the Knicks were still down one point. Durant drew a shooting foul from Randle seconds later, hitting both free throws, giving them a three point advantage.

As you can see, there is a similar trend throughout the final moments of the game, Randle making poor decisions which led to a loss. That didn’t change against the Chicago Bulls in the waning moments on Thursday, as New York fell by just four points after mounting a 21-point comeback in the second half. Playing in 39 minutes, Randle was gassed, but that doesn’t excuse a turnover with 56 seconds remaining, allowing the Bulls to convert two free throws and force the Knicks into another disadvantage.

In two consecutive games, Julius hurt his team down the stretch with poor decision making and a lack of awareness. This brings us to the final puzzle piece Tom Thibodeau’s squad desperately needs.

What the Knicks need to make the jump to the next level:

The Knicks need a closer, a player they can lean on to finish off games and mount momentum instead of burying them further in the loss column. The Knicks now sit at .500 on the season, watching DeMar DeRozan and Kevin Durant put them away with ease the past two games.

Randle hasn’t been able to find himself on the other end of that equation, which was still a frequent occurrence during the 2020–21 season, his breakout campaign.

The Knicks could acquire a superstar at the trade deadline, but making a shift of that magnitude mid-season is unlikely. In fact, it may spark another debate next off-season that New York needs to bring in another star to pair with Randle, someone who can take the pressure off and give him peace of mind in big moments. In the loss to Chicago, Randle hit just 2-of-5 free throws, missing several down the stretch to go with seven total turnovers, his highest mark of the season.

If Thibodeau wants his team to take the next step, his best player can’t be giving the ball away at such an absurd rate. Despite scoring 30 points, he did enough damage on his own to give the Bulls an advantage.

Most fans have already come to the conclusion that Randle needs a partner in crime, arguably an even better player to help him reach his potential. Force-feeding him clutch moments and opportunities hasn’t seemed to help him get over the hump, and playing second fiddle to a legitimate superstar is not a bad thing if the team is winning at an elevated rate.

Evan Fournier relishes first taste of Knicks-Nets rivalry: It felt like a home game

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Evan Fournier almost ended up as the hero for the New York Knicks when he sank a game-tying triple with 17 seconds left. But unheralded Brooklyn Nets’ forward James Johnson had other plans.

The Nets drew the first blood in the Battle of New York this season with a gut-wrenching 112-110 win over the Knicks Tuesday night before a sellout crowd of 18,081. It was the largest attendance to a Nets’ home game in franchise history. Thanks, in large part, to the Knicks fans who invaded the Barclays Center in Atlantic Avenue.

“That was my first time playing Brooklyn as a Knick. It was fun. It felt like a home game,” Fournier said after Wednesday’s practice. “The atmosphere was great. It’s too bad we couldn’t get a win.”

It was jarring to watch Kevin Durant and James Harden, two of the league’s superstars, getting booed at their homecourt. But the Knicks fans made it happen, drowning the Nets’ fans at times. Even Julius Randle got MVP chants in his lone trip at the line.

“It was cool,” Fournier said. “We would have won like nobody cares when you lose.”

Fournier said they were all upset they lost a big game. But they were encouraged that it was just a one-possession game against the preseason title favorites.

“So the difference between winning and losing in a lot of games is very, very small. In a lot of games, we were up 15 and blew up leads. So, I think we can be really good and you know, I’m talking about elite, but we have to do it for 48 minutes,” Fournier said. “And when we start doing that, we’re going to take off.”

Inconsistency had been the Knicks’ biggest woe this season. But 20 games into the season, Tom Thibodeau made a drastic change to the lineup, dropping the 6-foot-1 Kemba Walker from the rotation in favor of the 6-foot-6 Alec Burks. After two games, the Knicks look more like last season’s team that grinded out wins with Thibodeau’s signature defense.

They held the Nets to just eight triples on 28.6 percent shooting. But Durant took over down the stretch with 11 points in the final 5:45 of the game. The Nets entered the game averaging 12.9 3s on a 37.5 percent mark. The Knicks perimeter defender is much improved with Burks in the starting lineup. In Burks’ first starting gig, they limited the Hawks to only nine triples on a dreadful 24.3 percent clip.

One of the upsides of the Burks experiment is his size which gave them versatility on switching defense. It threw off Trae Young and the Hawks over the weekend. But the Nets posed a different challenge.

“We didn’t get to switch much really because just the way [Brooklyn] played,” Fournier said. “They played so much isolation and that they don’t really screen so much so it didn’t really have an impact [Tuesday night].”

Their third showdown with the Chicago Bulls this season Thursday night at home will offer a different challenge to the refurbished Knicks’ defense. The Bulls have more weapons offensively than the Nets, with the trio of Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, and Nikola Vucevic. Add defensive-minded guards Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso to the mix, who can also hurt on offense.

“They give you a different challenge because DeMar is such a unique player. He operates out of the midrange which is a lost art nowadays. Zach is extremely explosive. They’re just a well-built [team],” Fournier said.

“They have Vooch, who is back, that can really stretch the floor as a big. And they play hard. We owe them one and [Thursday’s game] will be interesting. The first two games in Chicago were intense, hard-fought battles and I expect that [on Thursday].”

The Bulls will be without key reserve Coby White, who has entered the health and safety protocols after testing positive for Coronavirus. White had 14 pts, hitting big shots in the fourth quarter, against the Knicks in the Bulls’ 109-103 win last month.

The Bulls and the Knicks enter Thursday night’s showdown with a winning record after at least 20 games for the first time since 2013, according to Elias Sports Bureau.

It will be a defensive slugfest as the Bulls currently sport the fourth-best defensive rating in the league (105.4). On the other hand, the Knicks are starting to regain their defensive identity after the recent change. It’s one of Thibodeau’s primary considerations when he made the bold move to yank a well-respected and accomplished player like Walker. 

Fournier said the chemistry of the starting lineup is fine. Except for a lackadaisical start in the third quarter where they dug a 16-point hole against the Nets, the starters looked more compact and engaged for the most part since the lineup change.

“I thought we started the game well. You know, AB is a really good player. He’s smart. We’re basketball players. We know how to make plays for each other. We’re gonna get a feel for each other and keep growing.”

Burks is an instant hit with the staring lineup recording season-highs in scoring in two consecutive games. Over the last two games he started, Burks is averaging 24.0 points and four triples on a 42/47/73 shooting split along with 6.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 2.0 steals.

Perhaps in respect to Walker, whom he shared a bond dating back to last season in Boston, and with just a couple of games in, Fournier deferred giving his judgment on the new makeup of the starting lineup.

“It’s kind of hard to answer because you need to see a bigger sample and get lessons from it. Kemba and Alec are different players. They bring different things to the table,” Fournier said. “So it’s a wait-and-see, really.”

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

Nobody roots for Goliath: Shaq tells Knicks’ Randle to stop whining

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In a game, they lost by only two points, New York Knicks‘ All-NBA forward Julius Randle rued the lack of calls on his strong drives to the basket.

In his postgame presser following a Knicks’ 112-110 loss to crosstown rival Brooklyn Nets, a visibly pissed Randle vented his ire on the officiating crew of Scott Foster, Mark Lindsay, and Jason Goldenberg.

The 6-foot-8 and 250-lb Randle scored 24 points but only made two trips at the foul line. In contrast, the Nets’ superstars Kevin Durant and James Harden combined for 19 free throw attempts and hit 18. Overall, the Nets had 13 more free throw attempts than the Knicks.

The Nets are sixth in the league in free throw attempts averaging 21.3 per game. The 11th-ranked Knicks are not that far behind, attempting 20.7 free throws per game.

Randle was hit with a technical foul for incessant complaining over a non-call in the game’s crucial moment. He felt James Harden fouled him in a tough fadeaway jumper that he missed in the previous play. With 1:37 left in the game, Durant hit a jumper and the technical free throw that gave the Nets a three-point cushion.

“I don’t know what they’re watching or what they’re seeing. As aggressive as I played, attacking the paint, I can’t be penalized for just being stronger than people. And that is an answer that I got today. “[The referees] said because certain contact doesn’t affect me like it affects other players. Because I am stronger, they miss the calls,” Randle said.

“It pisses me off even more. To be honest with you, because that is not how you officiate the game. With basketball, usually, [when] the smaller players are guarding bigger players, they get away with a lot more, but certain things are a little bit more blatant. You just slap a guy. I don’t care who it is, [but] it’s going to affect him.”

New York coach Tom Thibodeau sympathized with his All-NBA big man.

“I don’t care how the game is called,” an irate Thibodeau said. “I really don’t. You call it tight, call it loose. But it’s got to be the same.”

“I want to watch the film. But something’s not right. I’m watching what’s going on both ways. [Brooklyn’s] a good team. But I know Julius was driving the ball pretty darn hard. And I’m pissed. Thank you,” said Thibodeau as the postgame presser was cut short abruptly.

NBA Hall of Fame big man Shaquille O’Neal though, wasn’t as sympathetic as Thibodeau.

The 7-foot-1 O’Neal had his fair share of non-calls against smaller and lighter defenders during his playing days. Speaking from his experience, O’neal gave Randle unsolicited advice during the Inside the NBA postgame show on TNT.

“Listen, Mr. Julius (Randle). Nobody roots for Goliath. Nobody cares,” O’Neal said. “Play through it, big man.”

O’Neal said Randle is correct that he is strong. He felt the same way throughout his 19-year career. But O’Neal quickly added, “[The referees] are not going to slow down the game for us.”

“What you’re going to do, big dawg, is just make [your defender] call the foul. When you got [smaller guy] on the block, punish him. When somebody is reaching, just take this elbow right here,” said O’Neal motioning to elevate his elbow to a 90-degree angle, “just lift it up three to four inches. And you just got to keep playing.”

“Remember, nobody roots for Goliath. Nobody cares. The little guys don’t care about us, big guys. But you can do it. Other big guys did it,” O’Neal said. “Stop whining. Stop complaining.”

Randle is averaging five free throw attempts per game this season. On Thursday, the Knicks will face the Chicago Bulls, whose star DeMar DeRozan is one of the best in the league in getting to the line. DeRozan averages 7.5 free throw attempts per game, third in the league behind Jimmy Butler (8.6) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (10.1).

Harden and Durant are tied for fourth with seven free throw attempts per game.

Follow this writer on Twitter: @alderalmo

 

Knicks’ Julius Randle has legitimate beef with officiating Vs Brooklyn

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knicks, julius randle

The New York Knicks lost a shoot-out with a Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday evening 110-112, but it wasn’t without its controversial takes. Even the Knicks were disappointed with the officiating in the defeat, specifically regarding power forward Julius Randle and the lack of calls that went his way despite barreling toward the rim, looking to score from close range.

However, the contact Randle received in the process went unnoticed, as players like James Harden and Kevin Durant enjoyed 10 total trips to the free-throw line.

Despite enduring incredibly light contact, Brooklyn received star treatment while Randle was forced to fight through defenders committing obvious fouls on the former All-Star.

“Got to ask them,” Randle said of the officiating Vs Brooklyn. “I don’t know what they’re watching or what they’re seeing. As aggressive as I played, attacking the paint, I can’t be penalized for just being stronger than people. And that is an answer that I got today.”

“They said because certain contact doesn’t affect me like it affects other players,” Randle said. “Because I am stronger, they miss the calls.”

The justification by the officiating crew makes no sense. Indicating that Randle is simply stronger and therefore impervious to fouls is hard to comprehend. In fact, he suggests that being weaker and reacting more emphatically to contact is preferred if a player is looking to get to the free-throw line — AKA flopping.

“It pisses me off even more,” Randle said. “To be honest with you, because that is not how you officiate the game.”

Randle has a solid argument and will likely be fined nonetheless by the NBA for his reaction toward the officiating. The Knicks’ best player finished the game with 24 points, eight assists, and nine rebounds. He just marginally missed a triple-double, but the impact of new point guard Alec Burks has bolstered the starting unit tremendously. Randle did his best to step up and lead the team to victory, coming up just short of a much-needed win.