DALLAS – Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle knew what his club could be for, with Julius Randle back in his hometown of Big D.
“He’s an All-Star who likes to play back here,” Carlisle said before the game.
And how. Friday was Randle’s best game yet – and one of the Knicks’ most impressive victories this season.
It was an exciting week of homecoming games for Randle, and he ended it with a spectacular 44-point trip that sent the Knicks down to a huge 117-109 victory over the Mavericks in front of a pandemic crowd of 4000 fans at American Airlines Center.
The Knicks won their fifth consecutive game of the season, and they won a season high of 0.500 at 30-27, and Randle missed his career by one point. The Knicks, who have been 3-1 against their former star Kristaps Porzingis for the past two seasons, have not won five consecutive games in seven years.
“I was actually a little tired before, but I took some smoothie drinks and got some energy,” Randle said. “I was locked up, focused. I always like to play at home in front of friends and family. It’s always special to me. ‘
If the Knicks had not swapped Porzingis, who shot 8 for 20 for 23 points, they probably would never have signed for Randle. But a throng of blue-clad Knicks fans hung around after the last buzz and cheered and cheered for Porzingis, who crossed to the sidelines to wave, smile and show.
But Randle made many other Knicks fans forget about the Let, which was cleared up by Randle. Knicks fans in the crowd chanted ‘MVP’ as the Dallas native threw free throws in the final seconds.
“The way he makes plays is rarely treated,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “He makes right and wins plays. He is our engine. He lets us go. ”
RJ Barrett added 24 points with a fourth quarter. Knicks center Nerlens Noel, who played on a sore ankle, was grim, with 10 rebounds and three blocks. He also cleared Porzingis and struck with 2:10 over two important free throws.
Thibodeau is going over the block of Noel on the edge of Dorian Finney-Smith, who made the bench tread with joy in the fourth quarter.
“The blocked shot, a lot of play in the course of a game is winning plays that ignite and inspire the team,” Thibodeau said. “When you see a player like that, your people are fired.”
Randle has already taken revenge on his first NBA team, the Lakers, this week by scoring 34 points and clinching a victory against his second team, the Pelicans, by 32 points. Randle will face the Pelicans again on Sunday.
“As they drew up the schedule, you knew he would do it,” Barrett said of Randle.
But he saved his best for last – he looked even sharper and fresher on Friday, as if he were playing his first season’s first game instead of his season’s 56th game.
It all started in Dallas during the pandemic, 13 months ago, when Randle hit himself in the best shape of his career.
“He prepared himself for this,” Thibodeau said. “You can not overlook it. I know when I first saw the shape he was in in the summer. I’ve had the type of players in my career and they always prepare themselves in the off-season so they can handle this workload. They pay a lot of attention. ”
Randle shot 16-for-29 and 6-for-11 from 3-point range. The left-wing All-Star freight train scored the Knicks’ first 10 points and started the game 4-for-4, with its 3 points and faltering to the basket.
He scored 15 points in the first quarter and managed 21 at halftime when the Knicks were 56-52 ahead at intervals. He was 9-for-12 off the field – and 3-for-7 from 3.
Randle had 35 points after three quarters, but when he rested, an early fourth quarter by Barrett was critical.
Frank Ntilikina, prompted to action by the absence of Alec Burks (who is in COVID-19 protocols), also hit a big three-pointer.
Porzingis got a technical foul and was frustrated by Noel’s physical play in the first half. Reggie Bullock also did a number on Luka Doncic, keeping him up to 22 points, but with a career high of 19 assistants.
It was the Knicks’ first game without the Burks, who were away indefinitely, and they did not skip a mate.