Julius Randle doesn’t think the reason for his recent offensive resurgence is anything too complex.
The Knicks’ $63 million free-agent signing’s shooting percentages and scoring numbers have risen significantly in the 11 games since interim coach Mike Miller took over for the fired David Fizdale. Randle’s last three games have been particularly eye-popping, with at least 30 points in each of them for a 32.7 per game average.
“Better rhythm for sure. I’m in a better rhythm,” Randle noted after practice Monday in Westchester. “Just more comfortable. Coach puts me in great spots, my teammates feed me the ball in great spots, and the summer work I put in, the work I put in in the offseason, the work I’m still putting in during the season, I’m reaping the benefits of.
“I’ve got to keep that focus and simplify the game and be as efficient as I can and take it a day at a time.”
The Knicks, who will face old friend Carmelo Anthony and the Trail Blazers on Wednesday at the Garden, were just 4-18 when Fizdale was axed on Dec. 6. It has taken them only 11 games under Miller to accumulate five additional wins for a 9-24 overall record.
As crazy as it sounds, the Knicks are only 5.5 games behind sub-.500 Orlando for the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference standings.
“Anything is definitely possible,” Randle said. “We’re just taking it a game at a time, continue to work, take everything a game at a time, try to get better as a team, and we’ll see what happens at the end of the year.”
The Knicks’ roster could look significantly different by then, with forward Marcus Morris (18.3 points per game) and other veteran players on short-term contracts possibly being moved before the Feb. 7 trade deadline. Randle’s three-year commitment suggests the Knicks plan to keep the 25-year-old former Kentucky star to build around along with the young core of R.J. Barrett, Kevin Knox and Mitchell Robinson.
Randle’s trade value only should increase, however, if he continues to produce as he has under Miller. In the last 11 games, his scoring average has risen from 16.8 points per game under Fizdale to 22.6, with his 3-point percentage jumping from 24.1 percent to 37.4 percent.
“I think a lot of it is what he said: our spacing, there’s a lot of things that go into your teammates helping you. Spacing is a big one, in that they’re able to create some space and they know where he’s operating,” Miller said. “He’s been playing with such force, too. He’s been a downhill guy, he’s been able to create space off the dribble, he’s finished really well, he’s shot the ball well, he’s getting fouled. So he’s doing all the things that lead to a guy that’s putting up numbers like he’s doing.”
Randle added that he’s noticed the level of accountability on the court and in the locker room “absolutely” has changed since the team held a players-only meeting the same day Fizdale was fired.
“We talked to each other. It’s never personal. We just want to hold each other accountable because we just want to win,” Randle said. “At the end of the day, winning is the only thing that matters.
“That’s all that mattered. It’s always mattered. Development or not – we didn’t come here to develop. We want to bring the younger guys along and help them, but at the same time we want to win. That’s our expectation. That’s the only thing that matters. And from my end, that’s the only thing that matters.”
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