That was an All-Star performance.
With hopes of securing his first invitation to the All-Star Game next month, Randle dominated the Hawks on President’s Day, dropping a season-high 44 points with a career-high seven 3-pointers during another Knicks victory, 123-112, over the Hawks.
Randle was on fire from the opening tip with and sealed New York’s third straight win with 11 points in the fourth quarter. He shot 14-for-22 overall, including 7-for-13 from beyond the arc, finishing with nine rebounds and five assists in 40 minutes.
It was Randle’s best game since he signed a three-year, $63 million contract. The Knicks (14-15) have won three straight.
“It felt good,” Randle said. “I was locked in.”
The 26-year-old has never come close to an All-Star selection but has a strong case for the 2021 game in Atlanta for a reserve spot, which is picked by the coaches. He’d be the first Knicks All-Star since Kristaps Porzingis in 2018.
Randle was eighth in fan voting at last count among Eastern Conference frontcourt players. Unlike some potential All-Stars — including LeBron James — Randle has expressed only excitement for the money-grab exhibition played during a condensed season and pandemic.
“I understand both sides. It’s been a tough season,” he said. “Everybody is looking forward to that break. Everybody is looking forward to that down time ... But I also understand the business of basketball and I understand where the NBA is coming from, wanting to put this on for our fans. …Regardless, we’ll move as a unit and I’ll support whatever decision is made.”
Monday was a matchup of contrasting styles. The Hawks are one of the league’s worst defensive teams, preferring to keep the pace fast and the scores high. The Knicks are the opposite but beat Atlanta at its own game.
RJ Barrett finished with 21 points in 33 minutes, recovering from his struggles in the last three games. Immanuel Quickley added 16 points in 22 minutes off the bench. Derrick Rose wasn’t efficient like his first three games since the trade, but the Knicks outscored the Hawks by eight points with him on the court.
“There’s still a long way to go,” Tom Thibodeau said. “As I mentioned earlier, in this league if you start feeling good about yourself, that’s when you get knocked down. You have to continue to bring it every day.”
It was the Knicks’ second game without Mitchell Robinson, who is scheduled for a doctor’s consultation Tuesday before deciding whether to have surgery on his fractured right hand. His replacements at center — Nerlens Noel and Taj Gibson — combined for just seven points. However, Noel was strong defensively with three blocks, including two consecutive during a third-quarter run that turned a six-point Knicks deficit to a seven-point advantage.
Both Noel and Gibson fell into foul trouble but managed to stay on the court for a combined 44 minutes, leaving only a small cameo for the Randle-Obi Toppin frontcourt.
