Julius Randle and the New York Knicks have finally won in Denver, and it was quite a long wait for ‘Bockers fans.
Apparently, prior to Wednesday's showdown at Pepsi Center, the Knicks haven't won in Colorado for over 16 years. The last time they did was back in November 2006, when the team was led by Eddy Curry, Jamal Crawford and Stephon Marbury.
The Knicks have Randle to thank for ending that nearly two decade-long curse. The star big man exploded for 34 points, 11 rebounds and four assists, with the Nuggets unable to find an answer for him in the absence of Nikola Jokic. The Joker was ruled out for the game after entering the NBA's health and safety protocols.
New York also saw Jalen Brunson explode for 21 points in the 106-103 win. On the other hand, only Jamal Murray was able to score 20 or more points for Denver with 21, while the rest of the team struggled without their playmaking big man.
Tom Thibodeau's men improved to 8-7 on the season with the victory, climbing to the eighth seed in the East as well. The challenge for the Knicks now is staying consistent with their play, especially in their conference that features the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum and Jimmy Butler.
They will be playing the Golden State Warriors, Phoenix Suns and Oklahoma City Thunder next, which is certainly quite the tough test that will determine if they can go against some of the top players and teams in the NBA this 2022-23 campaign.