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Julius Randle became an All-Star last week. He became a winner Sunday in Detroit.
After six previous seasons being on losing teams, Randle led the Knicks to a winning record – achieved Sunday with a 109-90 Pistons rout at Little Caesars Arena.
The Knicks moved up to 18-17 and are in fourth place in the Eastern Conference group. This is the last time they have passed .500 in a season since the 2012-13 54-game winning campaign.
The Knicks were leading by 11 at halftime and Randle hit the Pistons fires with a brilliant 12-point third quarter. Randle finished with 25 points on 10 of 17 shots, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals as his bust-out season roared one night after outscoring Pacers All-Star Domantas Sabonis.
“I think that’s the nature of the league,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “Sometimes the timetable is in your favor, sometimes it is against. The challenge is to be ready whenever you need to go. So back to back, travel, you’re late, the balloon goes up, let’s get ready to roll. Just find a way to do it. That’s what we did.
And Randle – best of all – didn’t miss a game, playing a massive 35 minutes.
The Knicks have two more games before the All-Star break – in San Antonio on Tuesday and hosting the Pistons in a rematch on Thursday. It’s safe to say they have a great chance to slip into their weeklong vacation with a winning record.
Randle had the timely help of RJ Barrett, who weaved his second straight game with 20 points (7 of 11). Last season Randle and Barrett had little chemistry. Everything changed during this remarkable first season under the direction of coach Tom Thibodeau.
Randle has already made more than 3 points than he had all last season, going 3 of 5 on Sunday. He now has 66 on the season after 35 games. Randle recorded just 64 last season in a 64-game campaign cut short by a pandemic.
The Knicks have gone 6-2 since starting center Mitchell Robinson broke his hand in Washington.
Barrett accumulated 12 points in the first half. He drilled two 3 pointers and hit the hoop with muscle for all kinds of runners.
After scoring 24 points on Saturday against Indiana, Barrett was a solid 5-of-7 from the field in the half as the Knicks took a 48-37 lead at halftime.
The Knicks had that lead despite shooting just 36.7 percent from the field. It was a lousy first half – personified by the fierce defense of center Nerlens Noel.
Noel, the last Knicks’ fulcrum standing, was a beast in the defensive lane. He scored three blocks, including a dramatic stop at the rim during a practice by rookie lottery pick Saddiq Bey.
Noel finished the night with eight points, 11 rebounds, three steals to go with three blocks.
The Knicks are devastated in the center. Robinson is out until perhaps the end of March with a broken hand and substitute Taj Gibson could miss time with a sprained ankle suffered on Saturday. This forced Noel to play a huge role and he enters it with grace and courage. He’s fifth in the NBA in blocks per game at nearly 2.0.
Former Knicks point guard Dennis Smith Jr., leaving for Detroit, drilled his first 3 points. He was 1 for 6 in the half, when the Pistons shot just 30.8 percent, but also had a nice blockage. Smith finished with seven points and four assists.
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