Julius Randle Gives Knicks a Gift on His Birthday
Fortunately for the New York Knicks, Julius Randle acted his age rather than his point total on Tuesday night in Detroit.
Little Caesars Arena turned out to be a better birthday party venue than any Chuck E. Cheese could ever be: on the night he turned 28, the fourth-year Knicks Randle put in a season-best 36 points against the Detroit Pistons, who have proven to be quite the gift for a Knicks group struggling to beat almost anyone else. Behind Randle's scoreboard onslaught, the Knicks (10-11) earned their 11th consecutive victory over Detroit and their third this season alone.
“A win’s a good thing, for sure," Randle said in the aftermath, downplaying the role the relative holiday had on the team. "Anytime we get stops, able to get out in transition, get easy buckets (is good), and offensively we’re starting to learn how to move without the ball."
To Randle's point, New York outpaced Detroit 14-9 in fast break scoring and forced 16 turnovers, six alone coming while they pulled away in the third quarter.
Randle was eventually granted a birthday sabbatical when all was said and done, as he watched reserves put the finishing touches on a 140-110 final from the bench. In addition to his scoring heroics, Randle hauled in seven rebounds and also bestowed party favors in the form of five assists.
“He was super aggressive, (had a) great rhythm, (and) moved really well without the ball," Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau noted. "His teammates searched him out. A lot of movement was good, very good.”
It'll be hard to remove Randle's birthday showcase from the honor of the Knicks' most electrifying moment of the season. One can discount considering the state of the downtrodden Pistons (5-18) but Randle came through at a time when the Knicks have been seeking some offensive clarity, particularly from deep.
For one night, the Knicks were able to set aside their concerns about a three-point game that has left much to be desired. Randle got the Knicks off to a strong start with a 5-of-8 performance in extra-point range over the first dozen minutes, helping the Knicks build a 40-32 advantage. He played a documented role on over half of the Knicks' first period output, assisting on two other shots, including a triple from Quentin Grimes.
Jalen Brunson saw his streak of 30-point games end at three on Tuesday. Had he reached that plateau, he would've joined Randle and Carmelo Anthony as the only Knicks in the last decade to reach four straight with 30.
Brunson, however, was more than happy to keep feeding Randle when he saw the birthday momentum.
"(He) was playing well from the start. Hot player, (so) I’ve got to give him the ball,” Brunson recalled. “He was putting the ball through the hoop. Not much I can say about it, he was just feeling it.”
Randle capped his night off with 10 points in his final frame, where the Knicks built a permanent lead after surviving a brief Detroit takeover in the second period. He scored six of the Knicks' first 10 points in the frame, none more exhilarating than a dunk over doomed Detroit defender Isaiah Stewart, whose physical defense was no match for Randle's subsequent jam.
Unwilling to let Randle have his birthday cake and eat it too, Stewart broke a staredown between him and Tuesday's leading scorer with a shove. Randle immediately raised his hands and retreated to the courtside seats before heading to the Knicks' sidelines. Stewart was charged with a technical, leading a penalty freebie for Brunson that gave the Knicks a 21-point lead.
Randle blamed frugality for his wise escape from Stewart, jokingly claiming “I’ve got two kids" for his lack of retribution.
The Knicks return to action on Wednesday night when they battle the Milwaukee Bucks at Madison Square Garden (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG).
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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