NY Knicks: Why Julius Randle deserves 1st Team All-NBA

NY Knicks: Julius Randle has had a “flawless” regular season

The theme of this NBA awards season is endurance. It’s why Jokic is leading in the MVP race. It’s why LaMelo Ball isn’t currently running away with the ROTY award. It’s why the Lakers are 5th in the West.

LeBron James was leading the MVP race through the first half of the season, but he hasn’t played in two months so it’s not the same. Are 41 LeBron games better than 61 Randle games?  No, and the same can be said for every other contending forward.

Julius Randle is leading the league in minutes per game and his team to its winningest season in eight years. He has no co-all-star to help him carry the load, he’s 9th in the league in VORP, and he’s putting up career highs across the board without cracking 30% in usage rate. He’s improved into an elite defender, and knockdown shooter, gotten in the best shape of his life, he often guards the other team’s best forward, and he’s the engine of the NY Knicks’ entire offensive scheme. Boom.

Sure, LeBron James has had higher peaks this season, Kawhi is amazing as always, it’s great to see Durant back looking like his old self, but this is about a player’s contributions from start to finish. Julius Randle isn’t on the level of those other guys, it’s true, but for the 2020-21 NBA regular season he has done more for his team and he’s done it more often.