3 things fans should hope to see in Knicks’ preseason finale vs Wizards
1: Another strong outing by the ‘Big Three’
To no surprise, RJ Barrett has been the star of the preseason for the Knicks. He’s averaging 20 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 25.5 minutes. Imagine what he’ll be able to do when his minutes increase in the regular season.
Getting to see New York have an actual point guard in Jalen Brunson has been refreshing. He’s the second-highest scorer behind Barrett with 14.7 points. Brunson struggled to score against Indiana, but he still found ways to contribute. Isaiah Hartenstein had a team-high 10 rebounds on Wednesday, but Brunson, Randle, and Robinson each had eight rebounds. That’s not too shabby for a six-foot-one guard.
Do you know who else has been impressive in the preseason, though? Julius Randle. Now, there are still Knicks fans out there that are hoping that he ends up getting traded this season, but there’s no denying that he’s been off to a solid start. Randle’s been patient and instead of forcing looks that aren’t there, he’s putting his teammates in positions to score.
Through the first three preseason games, Randle leads New York with 4.3 assists. In total, he’s recorded 14 assists and only two turnovers. Against the Pacers, he looked the best that he has in a long time. Randle had 13 points (5-for-10 from the field, 3-for-6 from three), eight rebounds, and five assists in 25 minutes. The Knicks don’t need him to be the same player that he was the past two seasons, but Randle seems to be adjusting to his new role well.
It’s been fun to watch Barrett, Brunson, and Randle play. That trio has the potential to turn some heads in the Eastern Conference.
Be sure to tune into New York’s preseason finale tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET.
