Knicks' Julius Randle struggles in Game 4 but Tom Thibodeau, players have his back
Knicks forward Julius Randle takes the shot over Cavaliers forward Cedi Osman in the second quarter during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference First Round at Madison Square Garden on Sunday. Credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams Jr.
Julius Randle took a seat at the end of the bench at the start of the fourth quarter Sunday afternoon, his usual spot when he exits a game. But this time, he never got back in.
With the Knicks staging a fourth-quarter takeover and the group on the floor scrapping all over the court, coach Tom Thibodeau left Randle, who had struggled through a nightmarish performance, on the bench to the final buzzer.
Randle finished with seven points and shot 3-for-10 after a 3-for-15 effort Friday night. And it’s safe to say his offense was better on this day than his defense.
So while the Knicks celebrated, Randle exited the locker room before members of the media were allowed in, leaving without an explanation.
The Knicks tried to provide one for him. Thibodeau hinted that the sprained left ankle that sidelined him for the final five games of the regular season was a problem.
“Look, Julius is our horse,” Thibodeau said. “He’s given us everything that he has. A lot of guys probably wouldn’t even be playing. So I knew that the quick turnaround would probably impact him more than most players. He was out an extended amount of time. We’ve got multiple days here before the next game where we’ll get a chance to get some recovery time.
“The thing I love about him is he gives you everything he has. He’s done that to come back the way he did, be ready for Game 1. Credit to him. We need it, he’s our horse. You know that.”
Randle has talked about his conditioning being subpar as he tries to return to game shape after the long layoff. The Knicks don’t play again until Wednesday night in Cleveland, so Thibodeau was hopeful that the time between games will help him be ready for the next game.
“Yeah, the thing is he had to work around the clock to get back,” Thibodeau said. “That’s what I love about him. He gives you everything he has. Played 77 games, he sprained his ankle. Works like crazy to get back knowing how important he is to the team. But to get back to get ready to play, of course our medical people did a great job, but that’s all him. And he’s working around the clock on that.
“That’s Julius. That’s the challenge that we have. That’s what I respect about him. And we just have to get ready for our next game.”
“Jules has been a leader since the day I came in,” Jalen Brunson said. “What he’s been able to do, while he’s on or off the floor, has been incredible. He’s been special. All he wants to do is win. When he has that mindset, it’s very contagious. He’s been the leader. We always got his back. He wants nothing else but to win.”
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
