Julius Randle’s absence proving just how valuable he is to Knicks

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The relationship between Knicks fans and Julius Randle has fluctuated like a meme stock throughout his five-year tenure in New York.

From a disappointing headline signing of the 2020 offseason, to franchise savior in 2021, back to temperamental failure the following year, and back around to a dominant All-NBA force last season – the general consensus has shifted on Randle at every turn.

Even this year, his uncharacteristically awful first few games had fans racing to the trade machine once again, only for an equally as compelling bounce-back moving him into the untouchable column. However, since he’s been out with a separated shoulder suffered in late January, onlookers have had to value him on his absence rather than his production.

This has been a much more effective argument for Randle’s resume. The Knicks are 12-10 without half of their star tandem, compared to 29-17 with him playing.

If Randle’s 22.6 points, 9.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists on 45 percent shooting per game over five seasons in which he’s appeared in 94 percent of games before this year won’t convince Knicks fans of his impact and importance, maybe this recent stretch without him will. The saying goes, that absence makes the heart grow fonder. But in Randle’s case, it also makes the Knicks offense sputter.

Since Randle’s injury, New York put up 113.4 points per 100 possessions, 19th in the league in that stretch, compared to 119.3 points and 9th respectively in January, and 117.3 points and 10th before the OG Anunoby trade. On the season as a whole, the Knicks scored 119.7 points per 100 possessions with Randle on the court vs. 111.6 points off, a massive 8.1-point disparity.

Even with Jalen Brunson playing, the Knicks have scored 117.9 points per 100 possessions since Randle’s injury, failing to make up that gap. Despite his incredibly scoring repertoire, even he’s individually suffered from Randle’s absence.

Prior to losing Randle, Brunson was hitting 42.6 percent of his threes, compared to 34.4 percent since. Part of that is the increased defensive attention with no co-star to pull some focus away, another part being fewer clean…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/julius-randles-absence-proving-just-171039651.html

Author : SNY

Publish date : 2024-03-21 17:10:39

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