Julius Randle got his revenge against his former team on Monday as the New York Knicks All-Star was nothing short of spectacular against the Los Angeles Lakers. Randle was once again the Knicks' best player on the court as he led his team to a 111-96 rout against the defending champions, which obviously got The Garden buzzing. Naturally, the 26-year-old got his ‘MVP' chants from the 2,000 Knicks fans in attendance at MSG.
“It’s cool man the love you get in the Garden, the love they’re showing me is amazing,” Randle said (via NY Daily News). “It feels really good. I’m not going to lie, it’s motivating me to keep working harder and bringing it every night.”
Randle's big evening couldn't have come at a better time as the lefty poster another huge revenge game against the team that drafted him back in 2014. Randle was the Lakers' seventh overall pick back then and was eventually released in 2018 after the organization was undergoing a massive shift with the arrival of LeBron James.
The first-year All-Star dominated the shorthanded Lakers who were again without James as well as Anthony Davis. Randle erupted for 34 points, 10 boards, and four assists but was locked in, too, defensively. Randle had two steals and one block to help protect the paint for the Knicks which have turned up their defensive game this season with the help of first-year head coach Tom Thibodeau.
“We relied on our defense all year, so this is nothing new to us,” Randle added.
With the win, the Knicks continue to stay on track for their first playoff appearance in seven seasons.
Follow Us
Subscribe