NY Knicks: 3 Reasons Why Julius Randle Deserves MVP Votes
By Max LoSardo
Julius Randle does everything for the NY Knicks
Randle does everything for the Knicks. As Statmuse points out, Randle is on pace to be one of three players in NBA history to average 20 PPG, 10 RPG, and 5 APG while shooting 40% from three, (Jokic this season, and Larry Bird).
If Julius Randle doesn’t win Most Improved Player, we riot.
— StatMuse (@statmuse) April 19, 2021
23.7 PPG
10.5 RPG
6.1 APG
2.1 3PG
40.5 3P%
All career-highs
He is one of three players in NBA history to average 20/10/5 on 40% shooting from three in a season (Larry Bird, Nikola Jokic). pic.twitter.com/7hG9hYGbe0
He leads the Knicks in points, rebounds, assists, three-pointers made, free throws made, and steals. Randle is a big who is quick enough to guard a forward and strong enough to guard a center, all while frequently running point for the Knicks. While he hasn’t seen much time at the five (as I wrote last week), he’d be more than capable of handling it. He’s played off the ball as a spot-up shooter and played plenty of iso ball. You can get a different version of Randle on a given night – all lethal.
Watch the multiple efforts from Julius Randle here on defense. Shows on the first screen, the re-screen and gets back up to show on a third. Those are winning plays. pic.twitter.com/QCkFi5Or3s
— Steve Jones Jr. (@stevejones20) January 3, 2021
ESPN’s Real Plus-Minus has Randle as the best defensive Power Forward in the league with 2.91. Joel Embiid sits behind him at 2.46, while Nikola Jokic has a -0.39. Coach Tom Thibodeau summed it up pretty well after his team put up 30 against the Utah Jazz:
"“He’s our engine… He plays with a lot of toughness, and there’s a lot of multiple-effort plays that he’s making, but he’s also playing very unselfishly. If you cut and you’re open, he’s going to hit you. He can handle the ball, he’s got very good skills with the ball. I think those guys are very hard to guard, and his shooting has improved. I thought he had some wide-open looks, but he’s shot the three very well this year, so that makes him harder to guard, and he can out-quick you. I think when you put centers on him, he can take them away from the basket and then crack them off the dribble, or if they close short to him, he can shoot the shot. So, he’s doing a lot of things for us really well.”"
"“And then defensively, the rebounding, multiple effort, we’re asking him to play backup center right now also, so he’s doing everything. Playing big minutes, comes in the next day and works, takes care of his body, great with recovery, great in the film sessions, and it’s the type of leadership that’s invaluable to a team.”"
It’s hard to find a player whose team asks him to do as much as Julius Randle.