3 things Julius Randle needs to do to bounce back from a disappointing 2021 NBA Playoffs campaign

Julius Randle was a quick riser in the NBA world last year, winning the 2020-21 Most Improved Player award and making the All-NBA team. He was a major reason why the New York Knicks reached the NBA playoffs after eight long years, spearheading Tom Thibodeau's offense.

But Randle has a 2021 postseason to forget as the New York Knicks crashed out of the playoffs in the first round. They lost to the Atlanta Hawks in five games, capping a rather positive season on a disappointing note.

Three ways Julius Randle can improve his performances in the 2021-22 NBA postseason

Julius Randle averaged 18 points and 11 rebounds per game in the series against the Atlanta Hawks, a far cry from what he averaged during the regular season. The Hawks were able to contain Randle with relative ease, and here are three things Randle needs to work on to ensure it doesn't happen again -

#3 Randle will need to improve his shooting in the postseason

New York Knicks v Los Angeles Lakers

The three-point shooting was what elevated Julius Randle's game to All-NBA level, but the same trait brought his downfall against the Atlanta Hawks. A dead-eye shooter for his position, Randle converted 41.1% of his attempts from the deep in the regular season, but that mark fell down in the playoff series.

Randle only made 27.8% of his pull-up threes against the Hawks, which explains why his numbers were pedestrian against the eventual Eastern Conference finalists. He still managed to convert his catch-and-shoot threes at an efficient clip of 40%, but it wasn't enough to justify poor performances.

If Julius Randle wants to improve his numbers and take his team home in the playoffs, shooting would be a great area to start with. Even if Randle manages to replicate his regular-season shooting accuracy in these crunch games, he should be good enough for the New York Knicks to win a few NBA playoff series.

#2 Julius Randle will need to work on his finishing around the rim

New York Knicks v Los Angeles Lakers

Julius Randle's finishing around the rim was extremely poor during the regular season last year, as the power forward finished in the 16th percentile amongst all NBA players. However, it took a serious hit in the playoff against the Hawks, shooting 2-for-7 (28.6 percent) in the non-restricted area part of the paint.

Due credit to the Atlanta Hawks for keeping Julius Randle quiet in the paint and daring him to shoot, the New York Knicks ace will have to learn to finish in contact. Being able to finish in the paint with accuracy is a hallmark of any brilliant offensive player, and Tom Thibodeau would certainly like his franchise player to inculcate it into his skillset.

#1 Playmaking

New York Knicks v Washington Wizards

Julius Randle improved his ball handling considerably last season, averaging 6 assists per game. He developed into an all-round forward, playing as the de-facto playmaker in a true point guard's absence. The Knicks were one of the best shooting teams last year, and Randle was a major reason why their shooters got open looks.

However, as was the case in the last two pointers, Randle's productivity declined in the playoffs. He averaged 4 assists per game in the postseason, and there was a direct correlation between the Knicks shooting numbers going down and his average passing.

Julius Randle will need to improve his passing further in the 2021-22 season, even with Kemba Walker's arrival. He will certainly see less of the ball compared to last season, but he can still try to bring his turnovers down, especially in the playoffs. Randle averaged 4.6 turnovers per game against the Hawks, and one can imagine how much of a threat he will be to opposition teams once he brings those numbers down.