NEW YORK — In the course of 27 minutes on the floor the Knicks saw every phase of what Julius Randle can be. There was the unstoppable scoring force as he piled up 27 points in the first half. There was the unselfish playmaker in the third quarter as the Kings were forced to double him and he responded by picking out open cutters to orchestrate the offense without a point. And then there was the frustrating — and clearly frustrated — version.
Already playing without his backup Obi Toppin, sidelined with a knee injury, the Knicks were left to mix and match to find their way to the finish line, playing the last 15:35 without Randle. And to add to the challenge, with just over nine minutes remaining Jalen Brunson limped to the locker room, done for the night. But with a cushion built and RJ Barrett picking up the offensive load the Knicks managed to hold on for their fourth straight win, beating the Sacramento Kings, 112-99, at Madison Square Garden.
Randle put a sour finish on what had been a spectacular performance. He threw up an air ball from three and worked referee Marc Davis all the way down the court before grabbing an offensive rebound on the next possession and with contact in the lane, he went to the floor and was left there as the teams headed the other way with no call. He got up and immediately went at the nearest official, Robert Hussey, who hit him with a technical. But he turned and then went hunting for Davis, arguing his case loudly as teammates tried to pull him away. But Davis handed him a second technical and an ejection with 3:35 left in the third quarter.
With 9:03 remaining and the Knicks up by 17, Brunson was defending a Davion Mitchell drive. Mitchell came down on Brunson’s right leg. He immediately grabbed at his right foot and ankle and remained on the ground as play headed the other way before the Knicks spotted him and called time. He was helped to his feet and immediately limped to the locker room and did not return with what the team was calling a sore right foot.
Brunson finished with 18 points while Randle had 27. Barrett had 27 points, nine rebounds and a season-high six assists. The Kings, playing without De’Aaron Fox, were led by Domantas Sabonis with 20 points and 12 rebounds.
"Just trying to do whatever I can for the team," Barrett said on the court after the game. "Teammates make it easy. A great testament to the team. A great team win."
Randle had 15 points in the first quarter and 27 by halftime, connecting on 9 of 16 from the field and 6 of 6 from the free-throw line as the game was almost turning into a constant heat check for him. Whether he was sizing up Kings rookie Keegan Murray for a three-pointer or soaring for a jam off a Quentin Grimes lob he was doing it all with a smile on his face as if he knew that the Kings had no answer for his offensive production.
This is a continuation of his play of late. In the last six games entering Sunday Randle was averaging 27.2 points per games with a 36-point effort at Detroit and then 34 and 33 in the last two games against Atlanta and Charlotte.
After the Charlotte game, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said of Randle’s recent production, “Great rhythm. He had a play that he was behind the play, beat everyone down the floor, pulled everyone in, I think Quentin got the three on it. And there’s no stat for that other than it helps you create rhythm for your team. He’s made several plays like that. When he’s getting double-teamed he’s getting off the ball, he’s moving without the ball. He’s screening off the ball. He’s playing a great all-around game. I think that helps set the tone for the team.”
When the second half started the Kings began doubling Randle, sending a second defender at him as soon as he faced up. The first time, he waited for Barrett to get into the lane and found him for a short jumper. The next time, he fed Barrett quicker on the run across the lane and Barrett immediately lobbed it to Mitchell Robinson for a dunk.
