NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 02: Julius Randle #30 of the New York Knicks in action against the Houston Rockets at Madison Square Garden on March 02, 2020 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. New York Knicks defeated the Houston Rockets 125-123. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
Julius Randle had New York Knicks fans buzzing after his big night against the Cavaliers.
New York Knicks fans are desperate for watchable basketball from a team that features Julius Randle as its highest-paid player.
He has a lot of pressure to live up to, and he’s actually looking solid in 2020. Randle has scored at least 25 points in each of his past three games and posted a triple-double Tuesday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers in a nice win for the Knicks.
Knicks fans were thrilled with Julius Randle’s big night
The first surprise of the season was the Knicks blowing out the Milwaukee Bucks. Randle had 29 points, 14 rebounds and 7 assists in that win Sunday. Was this an anomaly? It does not appear to be the case after he finally reached double-digits in assists to get his first triple-double with New York.
The Knicks need Randle to play like this consistently if they are going to have a shot of not being atrocious this season. However, this may also result in him being traded at some point to a contender.
The hope is that the young players like RJ Barrett and Obi Toppin develop into stars. Fans must also remember Randle just turned 26 years old. Perhaps this year is when he begins to play up to his potential.
The Knicks are now 2-2 and have bounced back after two bad losses to start the season. While the team did lose its season opener to the Indiana Pacers, Randle almost got a triple-double in that one as well.
One thing Randle does need to fix is his turnovers. He almost had the quadruple-double Tuesday night with nine turnovers. He only had two in the blowout victory over the Bucks.
Is Randle the savior in New York? Probably not. But he can be a suitable piece moving forward or even bring back a nice haul in return via a trade later this season. His play Tuesday is great for the Knicks is every way possible and fans should be excited, even if they remain wary.