After a feel-good 2022-23 NBA season in which they finished fifth in the Eastern Conference and won their first playoff series in 10 years, the New York Knicks have had a difficult start to the new season.

They hold a 2-4 record after getting handled by the Milwaukee Bucks, 110-105, on Friday. While the Knicks manhandled Milwaukee on the boards, 56-41, they simply couldn’t hit shots, as they went 39.6 percent overall and 25.6 percent from 3-point range.

The biggest culprit was Julius Randle, who was 5-of-20 from the field. At halftime, former NBA big man and current ESPN personality Kendrick Perkins accused Randle of ball-hogging.

Randle did have five assists, but on a night such as this one, he should’ve been more selective with his shot selection. He lacked up nine attempts from behind the 3-point line and made just one of them, while teammate Jalen Brunson went on a heater by scoring 45 points and shooting better than 50 percent. Quentin Grimes, New York’s other starting guard (RJ Barrett, their usual starting off-guard, was out with left knee soreness) shot 5-of-10 from downtown and scored 17 points.

NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Julius Randle, New York Knicks Updates

Since joining the Knicks four seasons ago, Randle has infused them whenever he has played well. But his production and efficiency have been up and down, and some feel he is simply an awkward or imperfect fit in head coach Tom Thibodeau’s offense.

Through six games this year, he is shooting just 27.1 percent from the field, and he is off to one of the least efficient starts in NBA history, as he seemingly couldn’t throw a marble into the New York Harbor from the crown of the Statue of Liberty.

NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Julius Randle, New York Knicks Updates

For the Knicks to build on what they did last season, Randle has to get back to the type of play he displayed last season when he put up a career-high 25.1 points a game on 45.9 percent field-goal shooting.