Knicks’ Julius Randle shines, took matchup with Sabonis “Personally”

The New York Knicks finally reached the .500 mark on Saturday, and they can thank their All-Star forward Julius Randle for igniting the victory. Randle put the team on his back – He finished the game with 28 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals in a whopping 41 minutes. His impact was felt all over the court.

The Knicks wanted this win badly against a Pacers team that is neck-and-neck with them in the standings, and the victory now has the Knicks currently tied for 4th in the Eastern Conference. The win did not come easy.

The Knicks came out of the gate slow, and the early signs were concerning. The team was giving up easy buckets in the paint, and the offense wasn’t hitting their shots. The team was down by double digits in the middle of the second quarter, but then Randle took things into another gear. Randle and the Knicks went on a surge, going from down 16 points with 7 minutes left in the 2nd quarter to ending the half up 2.

While the Knicks had multiple strong performances on Saturday night, it was Randle who really willed the team to victory. Of course, the key matchup to watch coming into this game was the battle of the All-Star power forwards: Julius Randle vs. Domantas Sabonis, and it did not disappoint.

Sabonis finished the night with an impressive 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists, but seemed to be frustrated by the lack of scoring opportunities throughout the game. Sabonis often looked rushed by the pressure Randle had put on him, and he ended up receiving a technical foul later in the game. Randle’s performance on both sides of the floor had the entire Knicks team inspired.

When asked about going head-to-head with Sabonis in his post-game interview, Randle said,

"“As a competitor, sometimes there’s individual matchups that you take, you know, not personal as in you don’t like him as a guy, but personal from a competitive standpoint. So it was that, the season series matchup as a team, we felt like we really needed this win as a team.”"

This type of attitude is exactly why Randle’s impact on the Knicks this season goes way beyond the stat sheet. There have been so many words written about Randle’s scoring ability, his newfound passing, and intense rebounding – But Randle’s approach to important matchups is a mental component to the game that has been so valuable for his young Knicks teammates to see.

Julius Randle’s play on the court has gotten him the label of the Knicks “Star player”, but how his dedication off the court and his mental toughness is what has earned the label of “Leader” on this Knicks team.

Going at a player of Sabonis’ level and delivering not only a strong offensive showing but a gritty defensive performance is why the Knicks are exceeding their expectations so far this season. They’re doing all the little things – From their role players to their stars, they don’t care about stats, they just to win.

Julius Randle’s play isn’t just the offensive numbers, he plays hard defense. Among power forwards, Randle is 6th in the NBA in defensive real plus/minus. No matter what part of the game you’re looking at, Randle has left some sort of positive impact.

Julius Randle’s All-Star game campaign has received plenty of attention, but at this rate, with the Knicks establishing themselves as a playoff team, he may very well finish top-10 in MVP voting.