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New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau had some positive things to say about Julius Randle despite his awful night against the Orlando Magic. Knicks fans are unhappy with Randle for flunking in the absence of Jalen Brunson, but they were more angry at Thibodeau for defending the two-time All-Star.
The Knicks were missing Brunson for the second straight game with a calf injury. Randle was supposed to carry the offense with his scoring and playmaking, but he struggled again. He shot 9-for-21 in the win over the Memphis Grizzlies last Saturday.
Randle followed it up with another stinker in the 98-94 loss to the Magic, where he had 15 points, six rebounds and five assists. He went 5-for-18 from the field, including 1-for-9 from beyond the arc. He did not have any turnovers but could have been more aggressive on offense and not settled at the 3-point line.
In his postgame interview, Thibodeau was just surprised with Randle's abysmal performance and pointed out that he can do much more on offense.
"Julius usually doesn't have games like that, but I thought he was doing other stuff for us. Julius can beat you in a lot of different ways," Thibodeau said.
However, New York Knicks fans are not having any of Thibodeau's praise for Randle. They are unhappy with another loss that puts them in seventh spot in a tight Eastern Conference.
One fan said:
"He always make sure to m**t ride Ju."
Another Knicks fan is baffled by Thibs' comments:
"If you don't see how lazy Randle was playing and the body language he shows on the floor, WTF!!!!"
Another Knicks fan is unsure what to feel about Randle:
"Julius normally doesn't have games like this, but he flops in the playoffs every year so."
Here are other reactions by Knicks fans on X on the Thibs-Julius Randle issue:
Julius Randle has simple approach in 10th NBA season
Julius Randle is not worried about what people are saying about his play. He's in his 10th season in the NBA and has a simple approach to how to deal with life as a pro basketball player.
The 29-year-old big man told Fred Katz of The Athletic last week that he went through a lot of phases in his career, from the LA Lakers to the New Orleans Pelicans and now at the Big Apple.
It used to be about proving himself, but now it's just about being a great teammate. It's about helping the team win games for fans and enjoy his time on the court while wearing a New York Knicks jersey.
