Julius Randle isn’t just the NBA’s Most Improved Player, he’s also “a Thibs guy.” That’s how Knicks teammate Taj Gibson described Randle to Nick Friedell of ESPN in explaining how he was able to raise his game under coach Tom Thibodeau.
Randle averaged career highs this season with 24.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and 6.0 assists and is a strong candidate for All-NBA honors. He also appeared in all but one of the team’s 72 games.
“When you’re a Thibs Guy that just shows that he can count on you,” Gibson explained. “Ups and downs, highs and lows, you know that he believes in you and he believes that you can go in there and help the team overcome — through injuries, through it all. It’s being a tough-minded guy, fight for the team.”
Thibodeau traces Randle’s improvement back to a meeting they had shortly after the new coach was hired last July. Thibodeau said Randle showed up in exceptional shape and expressed a willingness to be coached.
“You could see how highly motivated he was,” Thibodeau said. “And then when we had our short bubble, just his willingness to come in and work and lead and I could see how hungry he was. I felt like this was the guy that could help set the tone for us.”
There’s more from New York:
- Knicks players aren’t buying into the idea of Trae Young as the newest villain at Madison Square Garden, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. The Hawks guard hit a game-winning floater in the final second of Game 1, then put his finger to his lips as a sign for the crowd to be quiet. “That’s basketball, man,” Derrick Rose said. “He came in, we played a great game and the crowd is supposed to do that, his reaction is supposed to be that way. It’s supposed to amp up and bring that atmosphere and that environment to where it is right now. I mean, that’s what I’m used to.”
- Nerlens Noel will be in the starting lineup for tonight’s Game 2, the Knicks announced (via Twitter). Noel landed awkwardly and limped off the court midway through the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game. Thibodeau said Noel “tweaked his ankle” and was a limited participant in practice, Berman adds in a separate story.
- Center Mitchell Robinson remains “several steps away” from returning after surgery on his right foot, tweets Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. Addressing reporters before tonight’s game, Thibodeau said Robinson hasn’t been cleared for practice, adding, “We’re not taking any chances with him.”
Lol Trae Young is good, but that shush moment is nothing compared to the king of ruffling the Knicks, Reggie Miller.
The entirety of MSG chanting TRAE IS BALDING is the reason I’m a Knicks fan.
Everyone gets it, the KNICKS haven’t been relevant for a long time – making the playoffs and having a decent team, is a very big deal for this franchise.
Everything will be magnified, every Trae reaction will be magnified, used as fuel by the fans and the media frenzy.
There’s NY…and then everything else.
Go NY, go!
There you go.
Dude everything is magnified in NY. We are just happy to be back. Basketball is a city sport. Always good to be a playoff team. But we know who we are. This is still a rebuild. We are just enjoying the good times. Like any city should.
Congrats Al. Great place to be. The down years are rough it’s just nice to be back in playoff basketball.
Just like in game one, Randle has played terribly tonight. Barrett hasn’t been much better. Both of them seriously need to get it together if the Knicks want to have a chance.
Just fyi to anyone reading, I wrote this at half time. Randle had a great second half!
I think he’s nervous. They gave him his trophy at start of gm. He just is thinking too hard. Second he was just playing. Love to see him post more. They are switching and throwing different looks at him. You get a small guy take him to post. Everyone move out the way. When they double he can hit open guy. Good second half is right. Obi1 also had gd mins. That was nice to see. Still do t like Thibs playing Rose slot of mins 39 mins is too much. Especially after playing 38 mins last gm. Not a good sign to me.
You could tell he shook off the nerves a few minutes into the third and he started being more aggressive. It was so fun to see. It was like, ‘oh, now he’s ready’ and then he started playing his game.
I agree that he should get more post up/down low, but they might be taking what the defense is giving them. Whenever Randle touches the ball, they do a soft double team with the second defender lurking. Will be nice to see a full game of Randle in normal mode in Game Three.
Yeah exactly. But if he gets a smaller player. Just move out the way and run him down low and give him the ball. Capela was always lurking. It means a guy will be open. They are definitely keeping an eye on Randle. Once he makes a move they send another guy at him. Need to adjust to that. They are keying on Randle. I think that’s why Obi1 had success. They don’t key on him lol.
Halfway through the third when Randle through a pass 10 ft between two diff teammates and it landed in the 5th row I thought, “This is going to go down as one of the biggest choke jobs in Knick history.”
Luckily he redeemed himself in the last 18 minutes.
But he needs to shake this off for good and bring it for 48 in games 3 and 4 if they want to have a chance to actually win this thing
Like I said, Randle should be getting touches closer to the basket ……….. why does everything need to start from way yonder.
Because everyone thinks that are Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant. Big men want to be jump shooters. And Randall HAS to do that because he’s 6-8 and he’s too small underneath. This is the very best Julius Randle you’ll ever see. Good coaching. Let me change that, GREAT coaching. It’s like Andrew Wiggins. Coach him well and make him the best he can be. Put them in positions to succeed.
Couldn’t agree more. Watching gm I’m saying why TF is Randle not posting those small players switching. Its this shooting frenzy. Like we forget what a high percentage shot is. Knicks were nervous first gm. Second half this gm they settle into who they are. They are not a great team. They have to work for success. They did today. Even Obi1 had big gm.. Still don’t like him playing Rose too many mins. And Quicklys D suxx. Knicks bench came thru today. And starters woke up in second half. Nice comeback tonight. NYK
Nice win tonight. But you know how the playoffs are you don’t get anything inside..
I agree, DRose playing heavy minutes isn’t ideal, you half-expect him to crumple down anytime. Those exta-minutes got them this win though.
I don’t even think it’s that as much as he just needs to be aggressive when he gets in the lane.
Because he can blow by anyone but Hunter easily, and he has – but then he’s in the paint overthinking.
When he took it to Capela’s chest he had some success. And when he made quick decisions he found guys and put them in position to score
You saw Bullock picking up Young early. We focused on him more. And it was better but he still had a good night. Noel not 100% and missing Mitch hurts. That rim protector helps believe me. Hawks don’t respect Knicks is what I saw in these two gms. We can use that. The best teams win in playoffs. And when we play as a team bench and all. We can compete with anyone. Hawks are a good team. But they are not Nets, Sixers or Bucks. We can beat them as long as we are locked in. Let’s go Knicks.
Taj picked up some of the slack with Noel not being 100%. Understated but solid play by Taj, always giving effort and knowing where to be like a veteran.
If Randle can play like he did in the second half, we got this. Knicks in six!
Imo they will be calmer and play better away from MSG. Let’s go Knicks.
Totally agree. Going from limited crowds in the regular season to an almost full Garden for a playoff game is a big transition. Lot of nerves going but they fought through them. Hopefully when they come back, they will be closing out the series.
Great point on crowds. They went from zero to 1000 in terms of arena intensity.
I’ll also note that we let Trae get his – but look at the shooting stats of everyone else. Trash bags. Everyone hounded at the 3 point line all second half.
I say keep that energy. Let Trae get his, he can only score so much. But put everyone else in a stranglehold. They have the personnel to do it.
Have Loved Taj for what seems like 2 decades now , glad he’s getting some burn
Great game last night. Taj has been fantastic. Trae is good but Luka is all time great. Glad Luka is in Dallas and not in Atlanta. Do the Hawks wish they had redo in that trade now?
That’ll prob go down as the most lopsided trade where the LOSER of the trade still got a multi-year all star and probably All NBA player.
Luka’s just another level.