New York Knicks: 4 Players who exceeded expectations this season

New York Knicks who exceeded expectations: Julius Randle

It’s not an exaggeration to say that Randle’s 2020-21 year is one of the best individual seasons in the history of the New York Knicks franchise.

24.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game while canning over 41% of his triples has made him a shoo-in for the NBA’s Most Improved Player award. He has become an active defender and is routinely giving maximum effort for plays that won’t show up on any stat sheet.

He has completely shattered the expectations of even the most optimistic Knicks fans, elevating practically every single facet of his game. He’s the offensive engine for the entire roster and has even uttered the team’s unofficial “We Here” motto.

Sunday’s matchup against the Hawks will be the first career playoff game for the 7-year veteran and his road to success won’t be easy. Atlanta will likely be throwing multiple defenders at Randle on nearly every possession, forcing someone other than the first-time All-Star to beat them.

That strategy makes sense, as Randle has absolutely dominated the Hawks like no other opponent. The Knicks were able to obtain the 4th seed due to having a 3-0 record against Atlanta, with the 26-year old power forward hitting every shot imaginable.

In three games against the Hawks this year Julius Randle is averaging 37.3 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game on 58.1% shooting.