The 10 best players in the New York Knicks vs Atlanta Hawks series

New York Knicks (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
New York Knicks (Photo by Justin Ford/Getty Images)
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New York Knicks, Atlanta Hawks
Julius Randle, NY Knicks. DeCrow/Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports

Best players in the New York Knicks vs Atlanta Hawks series: #1 Julius Randle

In case you needed more reason to hype up Randle’s play this season, he may actually win Most Improved Player while also receiving votes for the MVP Award.

For the people new to New York Knicks basketball, Randle has been absolutely dominant this season. He’s averaging a double-double for the first time in his career, with eye-popping stats of 24.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 6.0 assists. Defensively, his 0.9 blocks are a career-high. Randle’s just one of five players averaging at least 20, 10, and 5. The others are Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Russell Westbrook, and Domantas Sabonis.

But aside from capturing the box score night in and night out, Randle has also led the Knicks to new heights in the winning column. He’s been the go-to guy on a team that’s in the playoffs for the first time since 2013. He’s led the revitalization of New York Knicks basketball.

If Julius Randle comes to play as he did in the regular season, he’s the biggest factor in this playoff series. It’s not just what New York Knicks fans want to hear. It’s also the truth.