DALLAS – Tom Thibodeau, the infamous first-year New York Knicks head coach, cracked a hint of a grin when asked about his stance after a 117-109 victory Friday night over the Dallas Mavericks.
It was New York’s fifth consecutive victory, which was the franchise’s longest winning streak in seven years. The Knicks, who had a losing record and failed to make the playoffs in the previous seven seasons, are sixth in the Eastern Conference with a record of 30-27.
“Am I happy? You know I’m never happy,” Thibodeau said. “We try not to get caught up in all the things. I think you do not want to get lost, and that’s the most important thing to understand what goes into it. I think if we take care of all the little things, the great things take care of themselves.
“I think we have the conviction that we can win, and that’s probably the most important thing. It started that way in the beginning. It does not really matter what people think outside. That’s what we think.”
The Knicks won 545 games between five games, which was the second longest stretch in franchise history, behind a series of 653 games from 1958 to ’66, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
“We just have to keep building,” said All-Star forward Julius Randle, who averaged 30.2 points, 9.2 rebounds and 6.4 assists during the finish line.
Randle, a Dallas native who had several friends and family members in the American Airlines Center crowd, continued the best part of his career with a dominant performance against the Mavericks. He finished with 44 points on 16-out-29 shooting, 10 rebounds and seven assists, becoming the first Knick to have at least 40 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a game since Bernard King in a March 22, 1985 victory .
“He makes winning piles,” Thibodeau said. “As we started the game, his aggressiveness set the tone. I have said it many times: He is our engine. He lets us go.”
Randle has dominated the past three games in particular, scoring 34 points in the win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, 32 in Wednesday’s victory over the New Orleans Pelicans and a 44 season on Friday.
RJ Barrett, guard for the Knicks, said it was no coincidence that Randle played so well against his two previous teams and his hometown Mavs, who did not pursue Randle twice in the free agency when they had enough salary branch not.
“The way they made the schedule – Lakers, New Orleans and then again in Dallas and New Orleans – I mean, you pretty much knew he would come out to do it,” said Barrett, who had 24 points and eight . bounced against the Mavs. “It does not surprise me at all. He is a great player.”
Thibodeau cites Randle’s improved three-point shooting as a key to his success this season, as the candidate for the most improved player achieves a career-best 41% from the 3-point series after hitting 6-out-11 in Friday’s victory. Thibodeau was also raving about Randle’s commitment to off-season conditions to prepare him to carry such a huge offensive burden for the Knicks.
“It’s a responsibility, but it’s not something that weighs on me or anything,” Randle said. It’s just my approach and who I am. I just try to be the same every day – not try to be too high or too low. I’m who I am. and play for my team. Let it determine the results. “