Julius Randle injured Atlanta Monday night and is preparing to make his way to Atlanta on March 7, the scheduled date of the All-Star Game.
Randle recorded his 44 Knicks highs, hitting a career high with 7 triples as the Knicks won their third straight Monday, 123-112, over the Hawks in the fanless garden.
Randle amassed his third game of 30 points or more, expanding his All-Star campaign and finishing a timid point of his peak career (set with New Orleans).
Randle hit a driving run in the absence of 3:30 and then his seventh hat-trick to lead the lead at 112-107 and repel the Hawks ’comeback effort. Randle made 7 of 13 of 3 and was 14 of 22 overall. He was a three-point shooter of the 28% run entering the season.
Appearing on “The Michael Kay Show” on ESPN radio before the game, Randle said an All-Star bed would mean “a lot, man. It’s definitely a goal I set out to achieve when I got to the Knicks. It would be a incredible honor and it would mean a lot to me and my family. But I try to keep the team first. “
Voting for fan stars ends Tuesday.
“The most important thing is their impact on winning,” Thibodeau said. “We hope it is recognized.”
The Knicks went 14-15 with their freshman coach Tom Thibodeau and have won five of seven games. After 29 games last season, the Knicks were 7-22.
“[Thibodeau’s] attention to detail is amazing, “said Randle, who had nine rebounds and five assists.” We go into games as prepared as if all games were a playoff game. That’s good. It’s a complete culture changer. “Everyone is responsible. We all enjoy the process.”
One of the least productive three-point shooting teams in the NBA, the Knicks clashed in a season high with 17 triples. RJ Barrett added 21 points and made two triples in the fourth quarter.
The Knicks buried the Hawks in the first quarter, 39-28, but returned it all, mostly from the free throw line. In the third quarter, they found a back six.
Randle added 17 points in the first quarter as he went from 7 to 8 of 3 from the 3-point range, continuing his outstanding season. By scoring 39 points in that opening quarter, the Knicks shot up 68.2 percent, not too shabby for a ranked offense in the final points of the league.