Jalen Brunson led the way for New York with a strong 26 points, but his 9-23 shooting was a microcosm of the team's struggles all day. The Knicks shot 38% from the field as a team with only Cameron Payne (18 points off the bench) shooting over 50% from the field for the game.
It sucks,” Randle said. “I guess we’ll never know what could’ve been. I think the more unfortunate part is everything was a build, a constant build — I feel like all our teams overachieved year
When Julius Randle signed with the Knicks in the summer of 2019, he joined a team that had just suffered its sixth consecutive losing season. The Knicks were fresh off of a 17-win campaign that matched the worst season in franchise history.
Randle played a secondary role in the Timberwolves’ 116-99 win, taking a backseat in the spotlight as Anthony Edwards dazzled with 36 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists.
Timberwolves forward Julius Randle made his anticipated return to Madison Square Garden on Friday and reflected on his impactful five-year tenure with the Knicks.
Former New York Knicks All-Star Julius Randle is gearing up to return to Madison Square Garden on Friday night. Randle’s Minnesota Timberwolves will take on the Knicks on the road.
Julius Randle marked his return to Madison Square Garden with a quiet game. But his impact was felt in the Minnesota Timberwolves’ 116-99 rout of his former team, the New York Knicks, on Friday night (Saturday Manila time).
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) shoots at the basket as Boston Celtics forwards Xavier Tillman (26) and Jayson Tatum (0) defend in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) AP
Randle believed in the Knicks and their potential when almost no one else in the NBA did. When Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard and almost every other free agent took a hard pass on the Knicks, Randle risked coming to a franchise that had just finished a 17-65 season and had gone six straight years without making the playoffs.
The Knicks viewed January as an opportunity to beef up their overall record with a stretch of 12 out of 14 games slated to be played at home.