After making the NBA playoffs for the first time in eight years, many believed it was the beginning of great things to happen for the franchise. But so far this season that hasn’t been the case for the New York Knicks.
As of now, the Knicks have a record of 23-24 and they hold the 11th seed in the Eastern Conference. Considering the amount of competition in their conference, the hope of making the playoffs seems very low for the organization.
Apart from that, it seems like they have another huge issue at their hands. One of the most crucial reasons why the NY Knicks made the playoffs last season was because Julius Randle elevated his game to the next level.
This season, Knicks fans expected him to further improve, but that hasn’t happened. After becoming a first-time All-Star last season, Randle’s form has dipped. On top of that, he doesn’t seem to have a great relationship with the franchise.
His media unavailability since Jan 11, 2022, has been a huge talking point for the media. Moreover, he recently received a lot of backlash from fans for his terrible game against the New Orleans Pelicans, where he scored just 4 points.
While Randle bounced back against the Los Angeles Clippers with a stellar performance where he added 24 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists to the Knicks’ win. Unfortunately, it was another thing that Randle did during the game which made the headlines.
During the fixture, the Knicks called a timeout at one point during the game. And instead of joining the entire team, as everyone else does, Knicks writer Steve Popper tweeted that Randle was seen on the other end of the court with his family.
“Knicks are huddled up in timeout, thibs jotting game plans. Julius was wandering around the court. Then went and talked with his family. Just a little strange.”
Knicks are huddled up in timeout, thibs jotting game plans. Julius was wandering around the court. Then went and talked with his family. Just a little strange.
— Steve Popper (@StevePopper) January 23, 2022
This is something that not many fans would have expected from the supposed leader of the team. Well, so far this season Randle has not fulfilled that role at all.
There are still many games left in the 2021-22 NBA season, the Knicks might try for a late push to book a spot in the postseason. In order to do so, they definitely need Randle to be on top of his game.
