The New York Knicks' encounter against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday night proved that Julius Randle has already improved by leaps and bounds in the 2020-21 season. He came out with a dominating performance as he lifted his team en route to their third consecutive victory.
After the game, Randle claimed that he is currently playing at the highest level of basketball that he has ever been throughout his seven-year career, per Newsday Sports‘ Steve Popper.
Randle asked if he's playing the best of his career: "I just feel my game is at a level it hasn't been at before. Mentally, I'm at a level I haven't been at before."
— Steve Popper (@StevePopper) February 16, 2021
Looking back in hindsight, the former Kentucky standout was blasted by Knicks fans when he was signed by the team during an offseason that headlined a bumper crop of free-agent stars back in July of 2019. He also failed to earn the respect of the public right from the get-go as he was often criticized for his errors on the floor back in the 2019-20 season.
However, Randle managed to get back on the right track this season and has significantly improved on the floor, specifically on his decision-making as one of the top players of the Knicks. The arrival of head coach Tom Thibodeau could've also played a role in turning things around for the 26-year-old forward.
He showcased his more polished playing form as he dropped a season-high 44 points on 7 of 13 shooting from beyond the arc along with nine rebounds and five assists against the Hawks.
Meanwhile, opposing point guard Trae Young produced 23 points and eight assists but wasn't enough to lift his depleted team over the Knicks. New York managed to defend their home floor as they emerged victorious in a 123-112 outcome on Monday night.
The Knicks won their third straight game to improve to a 14-15 record for the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference. More consistent performances from Julius Randle in their coming games will definitely help his case in landing his first All-Star selection this season.
New York will look to carry over the winning momentum when they visit the skidding Orlando Magic on Feb. 17.
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