Julius Randle was fined $ 15,000 by the NBA, and then tried to score 15,000 points for the humble Wizards.
Randle took out any lasting refereeing frustration on Washington Tuesday in the field when he added 37 points, scoring 7 of 10 triples, while the Knicks busted the Wizards, 131-113. Randle’s set 3 tied for the top run.
The All-Star striker, who was punished for his inflammatory statements about refereeing in the Knicks’ loss to Philly on Sunday, is the main reason the Knicks are 22-22, already surpassing the total number of wins last season.
Randle, who hasn’t missed a game this season, shot 13 of 24 from the field as the Knicks won a wire-to-wire jump.
On Thursday they face the magicians in the garden again. With another win, the Knicks would have schooled in Las Vegas, which had its Over / Under to win at 22 ½.
Randle added 35 points in the middle of the third quarter, scoring three points over all Washington youths, including Israeli lottery coach Deni Avidja and Rui Hachimuru.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau kept Randle for much of the fourth quarter instead of rolling with rookie Obi Toppin, the Knicks lottery pick who is in a fall. Toppin played just eight minutes and was left without a score for the fourth straight game as Randle offered him a few words of consolation on the bench at the end of the contest.
The Knicks won a 69-49 lead at halftime, with Randle going 21 points, getting 8 of 14 shots, getting 3 of 4 from the 3-point line.
Center Mitchell Robinson, in his second subsequent game after a hand operation, scored 16 points with 12 rebounds and three blocks. RJ Barrett added 21 points and Alec Burks added 20.
The starting point, Elfrid Payton, returned from a four-match absence with a hamstring strain. He threw a high corridor for Robinson, who jumped on the roof of the garden to look for the monster.
Before the game, Robinson admitted it would take a little longer.
“I just have to get back into shape, like the way I play,” he said. “I have been running a lot. I just have to get back to myself in the form of a game. But I thought it was great, to be back with the boys. “