New York Knicks star Julius Randle is looking nowhere near his dominant self from last season, and that was made apparent once again on Wednesday against the Detroit Pistons.
Randle had a game to forget in their showdown with the hapless Pistons, finishing with just five points on 2-of-11 shooting (including 0-of-3 from deep). Sure, he had 10 rebounds and five assists, but he had the second-worst plus-minus (-27) on the Knicks in the game. Had it not been for big performances from Alec Burks and Immanuel Quickley, New York would have gotten the L.
For what it's worth, though, Randle didn't move very well in the contest, raising concerns that he is suffering from an undisclosed injury. After the game, head coach Tom Thibodeau refused to go into detail but said the All-Star forward is “nicked up.”
Coach Thibs also didn't criticize Randle and instead highlighted how the big man is giving “everything he has” for the team, per Knicks reporter Tommy Beer.
When asked if Julius Randle is playing thru an injury, Thibs says Randle is “nicked up” but is giving the team “everything he has.”
— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) December 30, 2021
This is certainly not good to hear for the Knicks, especially since Julius Randle is the focal point of their offense. At this point of the season, New York might benefit more resting Randle and getting the likes of Obi Toppin and Immanuel Quickley more time in the starting unit. Besides, the two have certainly shown flashes of how they can impact the game when given the opportunity.
Randle has by far the worst plus-minus on the team this year–at –137, per Stat Muse–which should raise some concerns within the team. Lucky for the Knicks, they do have a deep roster that could very well allow them to compete while letting Randle get back to full health.
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