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It would not be wrong to say that Julius Randle has brought the New York Knicks a new lease of life. The Knicks, as a franchise, had been in the news for all the wrong reasons before the commencement of the 2020-21 NBA season.
However, with the hiring of Tom Thibodeau as the head coach of the Knicks and Randle's spectacular season, the fortunes of the franchise have definitely changed for the better.
The emergence of a star in the 'Mecca of basketball'
Since the departure of NBA veteran Carmelo Anthony, the New York Knicks have been unable to witness a star player who could lead their franchise in the east.
This void has definitely been filled to a certain extent owing to the extraordinary performances by Julius Randle, who led the Knicks in PPG, RPG, and APG in the regular season.
The arrival of Julius Randle
A year before the Knicks signed Julius Randle, rumor mills were buzzing about Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving arriving at the basketball mecca in the 2019 off-season.
Thus, when the time arrived, it was reported that Durant and Irving had signed a multi-million dollar deal with the Brooklyn Nets. This sent Knicks fans into a state of total disbelief who thought their franchise would go back to winning ways.
Hence the signing of Julius Randle, which coincided with the same day as the signing of Kevin Durant with the Brooklyn Nets, was heavily criticized by the people of New York.
Knicks fans were highly skeptical about Julius Randle joining the franchise as they didn't feel he could do justice to the lights of Madison Square Garden.
There was no doubt regarding the talent that Randle possessed. The power forward has had some amazing performances over the course of his NBA career. During his stint with the LA Lakers, Randle became the youngest player at the age of 21 to record a triple-double since Magic Johnson. Randle had five triple-doubles in the four seasons he played with the LA Lakers. During his tenure with the Lakers, he averaged 13.5 PPG, 8.9 RPG, and 2.6 APG while playing 27.8 minutes per game.
In his first season with the Knicks, Julius Randle had eight games with 30+ points and shot 46% from the field. Nonetheless, the Knicks ended the pandemic-affected season with a disappointing 21 wins and were the 12th seed in the Eastern Conference.
The defining 2020-21 NBA season
Season average: 24.1 PPG, 10.2 RPG, and 6.0 APG
Julius Randle's performance in the 2020-21 NBA season even earned him a spot in the MVP of the year conversation. Randle was phenomenal during the season shooting 45.6% from the field, 41.1% from the three point line, and 81.1% from the free-throw line. Knicks fans had hardly any expectations going into the season. But as the season progressed, they found their long-lost trust with the franchise owing to the extraordinary performances of the team.
In February 2021, Randle was announced as a reserve for the 2021 NBA All-Star, making it his first-ever appearance.
At the end of the year, Randle had six triple-doubles and 15 games with 30+points that earned him the 2021 Most Improved Player of the year. The New York Knicks earned the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference by the end of the season, clinching a playoff berth for the first time since 2013.
Disappointing Performances during the 2021 NBA Playoffs
2021 NBA Playoff average: 18.0 PPG, 11.6 RPG, and 4.0 APG
Madison Square Garden opened its gates for its fans for the first time since the pandemic COVID19 in the 2021 Playoffs. There was no end to the excitement the fans had considering Game 1 of the first round was on their home court. The Knicks faced the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs. As the series began, Game 1 was a tight match that ended with the Hawks winning the contest. Though the Knicks won Game 2 they lost the next two consecutive games, resulting in elimination.
Julius Randle could not replicate his regular-season success in the playoffs that resulted in the Knicks exiting in the first round itself. The 2021 NBA All-Star shot a dismal 29.8% from the field and 33.3% from the three point line. Randle was heavily criticized for his performance as well.
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