The New York Knicks are off to a slow start this NBA season, and one of the reasons for their struggles has been the play of Julius Randle.
Through the first five games of the season, the New York Knicks are currently 2-3 as the NBA season gets underway. To start the season, the Knicks have had a tough schedule, but there have also been some tough losses for the team mixed in.
Recently, the Knicks suffered a bad loss in the second half of a home-and-home against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavaliers beat the Knicks on the road despite not having Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen. While the Knicks were without R.J. Barrett, they were still a significant favorite in the game at home.
When looking at the Knicks, one of the players who has notably had a tough start to the season is Julius Randle. Last season, Randle was an All-Star for the Knicks and had arguably the best season of his career. In the 2022-23 season, Randle averaged 25.1 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game.
While averaging a double-double in the NBA is extremely impressive, Randle also did it in a fairly efficient way from the field. As a shooter, Randle shot over 46 percent from the field and over 34 percent from three-point range. As a stretch four or sometimes even five, Randle’s ability to knock down three-pointers was a big part of the Knicks’ offense.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Julius Randle, New York Knicks Updates
Even though Randle had a great regular season, the playoffs were a different story for Randle. It was well-documented that Randle did not play well in the playoffs for the Knicks, as he was battling injuries, and even missed some time.
So far this season, we have yet to see Randle playing at an All-Star caliber level. Through five games, Randle is averaging 13.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game. Randle is doing his best to facilitate a bit more with his struggles as a scorer, but the shooting numbers for Randle are concerning thus far. Compared to some strong numbers last season, Randle is shooting just 27.6 percent from the field and 25.8 percent from three-point range. For someone who shoots as much as Randle does, this is hurting the Knicks.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Julius Randle, New York Knicks Updates
In all three of the Knicks’ losses this season, Randle has shot under 30 percent from the field. If Randle was playing up to his norm, some of those games easily could have been wins for the Knicks.
While it is early in the season, the play of Randle has to be concerning for the Knicks. This is a team that has playoff aspirations this season and a good well-balanced roster. However, they need Randle to be playing close to an All-Star level to reach their goals.
