DENVER — After the Knicks’ loss at Utah on Monday, Julius Randle’s big buzzword was “awareness.’’
Randle, after totaling 30 points to lead the club in scoring for the first time since Christmas, explained why the Knicks haven’t been the same fourth-quarter team they were last season.
On the western swing, the Knicks blew double-digit leads to the Lakers and Jazz to start the trip 0-2.
“It’s hard sometimes with the crowd, the emotions of the game, and all the different type of stuff,’’ Randle said after the Knicks managed just 16 points in the fourth quarter, minus two meaningless buckets in the final seconds. “I just feel like sometimes we have to be more aware of what’s going on and execute on both ends of the floor.
“We gotta be more aware. A couple possessions in a row that aren’t good possessions, we just gotta be more aware and tighten things up on both ends.’’
Randle was asked for a definition of what he means by “aware.’’ He indicated it’s about a sense of urgency to stem an opponent’s momentum.
“Like if we come down, we miss a shot, miss another shot, turnover, they come down — 3, 3, they get something on the fast break,’’ Randle said. “I think we were down two at the end of the half, and then the start of the quarter they had eight quick points,’’ Randle said. “My antenna kind of went up, let’s come down and get a good shot. I think I maybe went to the free-throw line.’’
The Knicks were not at full strength up front Tuesday to face the league’s most daunting center in Nikola Jokic, the 2020-21 NBA MVP.
Surging center Mitchell Robinson was out with a sore back and backup Nerlens Noel missed yet another game with a sore left knee that appears to be a chronic issue. That left the Knicks with a tandem of Taj Gibson and rookie Jericho Sims. Robinson was seen after Monday’s game hobbling with a trainer to a private room. He had racked up 19 points and 21 rebounds against Utah, which played minus Rudy Gobert.
“I hope he continues that for us because we’re going to need him,’’ RJ Barrett said.
Shooting guard Quentin Grimes (sore knee) missed his second. straight game.