As the Knicks continue their too-little, too-late surge to end the season, the Julius Randle problem persists.
It was on full display in Monday’s 109-104 victory over the Bulls, and taken to a new level with Randle turning into a spectator down the stretch. Last season’s All-Star was benched for most of the fourth quarter, following an ugly performance that had MSG fans alternating boos for Randle and chants for his replacement, Obi Toppin. After he was subbed back in, Randle didn’t take a field goal in the final 3:30, wandering around the court or standing in a corner, as RJ Barrett and Alec Burks carried the load. The Knicks will undoubtedly use Randle’s contused quad as the reasoning for his late-game disappearance, the same injury that kept Randle out of two games last week.
But Randle played the previous night and started Monday, finishing with a paltry stat line: 28 minutes, five points, 1-for-9 shooting. Randle didn’t score in the first half on four shots and turned frustrated in the third quarter, directing anger to his familiar target — the officiating crew. As the crowd chanted for Toppin, Randle picked up a technical for complaining to the ref with three minutes remaining in the third. It represented his 12th technical of the season, a career high.
