Julius Randle became an All-Star last week. He became a winner Sunday in Detroit.
After six previous seasons as part of the losing teams, Randle has led the Knicks to a winning record, achieved on Sunday with a 109-90 loss to the Pistons at the Little Caesars Arena.
The Knicks went 18-17 and finished fourth at the Eastern Conference meeting. It is the last they have surpassed .500 in a season since the 2012-13 54-win campaign.
The Knicks led the 11 in the half and Randle hit the Pistons ’lights with a brilliant 12-point third quarter. Randle finished with 25 points on 10 of 17 shots, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals as his rebounding season roared one night after dominating the Pacers ’All-Star Domantas Sabonis.
“I think that’s the nature of the league,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “Sometimes the calendar is in your favor, sometimes it’s against you. The challenge is to be ready whenever you need to go. So back to back, travel, arrive late, the ball goes up, we’re ready to roll. Just find a way to do it. That’s what we did. “
And Randle, best of all, hasn’t missed a game, playing big minutes in the 35th.
The Knicks have two games left before the All-Star break: the Pistons will be held in San Antonio on Tuesday and Thursday. It’s safe to say they have a great opportunity to slip into a week-long vacation with a winning record.
Randle had the timely help of RJ Barrett, who weaved his second straight game with 20 points (7 of 11). Last season, Randle and Barrett had little chemistry. Everything has changed in this remarkable first season with coach Tom Thibodeau.
Randle has already scored more triples than last season, going 3 out of 5 on Sunday. He now has 66 in the season after 35 games. Randle recorded just 64 last season in a pandemic-reduced 64-game campaign.
The Knicks went 6-2 since starting center Mitchell Robinson broke his hand in Washington.
Barrett added 12 points in the first half. He drilled two triples and switched to the hoop with muscle for all sorts of runners.
After scoring 24 points Saturday against Indiana, Barrett has been a solid 5 of 7 on the field at halftime as the Knicks took a 48-37 lead at halftime.
The Knicks had that advantage despite throwing only 36.7 percent from the field of play. It was an ugly first part, personified by the great defense of center Nerlens Noel.
Noel, Knicks ’last pivot standing, was a beast in the defensive lane. He scored three blocks, including a spectacular stop on the edge in a rookie lottery selection unit Saddiq Bey.
Noel finished the night with eight points, 11 rebounds, three steals to finish with three blocks.
The Knicks are shattered in the middle. Robinson is out until possibly late March with his hand broken and the Taj Gibson backup could waste time with an ankle sprain suffered on Saturday. Noel has been forced to take on a huge role and is intervening with grace and sand. He is fifth in the NBA in blocks per game, with nearly 2.0.
Knicks ex-goalkeeper Dennis Smith Jr., who was starting in Detroit, punched a first 3-point pointer. It was 1 for 6 in the middle, when the Pistons fired just 30.8 percent, but they also had a good block. Smith finished with seven points and four assists.