ATLANTA — All season, they were the Knicks’ 1-2 punch. Julius Randle was the All-Star, the initiator and playmaker. RJ Barrett was his sidekick. Together, more so than anybody else on this understated Knicks roster, they pushed, pulled and dragged the franchise to its first playoff appearance in eight years.
But now they’ve disappeared. When it matters most.
Randle was a mess again in Friday’s 105-94 loss to the Hawks, reverting back to the inefficient version of last season while chucking up 15 shots and missing 13 of them. His M.I.P. award could’ve stood for Most Invisible. And Barrett’s stat line was reflective of his fade into nonentity: seven points, 2-for-9 shooting.
Randle and Barrett were so ineffective and so contrary to winning, Tom Thibodeau benched them for first eight minutes of the fourth quarter.
Coupled with Trae Young’s continued brilliance and Atlanta’s lights-out shooting, it stirred into a Hawks cakewalk at State Farm Arena and a 2-1 series hole for the Knicks.
If it weren’t for Derrick Rose dropping 30 points on 13-for-21 shooting, the scoreline would’ve been worse for the Knicks. But Rose has been their lone consistent offensive force in this series, and he was rewarded Friday with a start over point guard Elfrid Payton.
Unlike Barrett and Randle, Rose had playoff experience and a history of performing in these moments. The early returns on the playoff versions of Randle and Barrett — when the defensive intensity picks up and the crowd volume rises from a 2 to a 10 — have been discouraging.
The Knicks hung around until the second quarter and abruptly collapsed, trailing by double digits for most of the second half. Young finished with 21 points and 14 assists. The Hawks hit 16 3-pointers at a 59% clip, while the Knicks contributed a brick fest.
Randle averaged 24 points and six assists in the regular season while shooting 46%. In the playoffs, he’s averaging 14.7 points and 3.3 assists while shooting (close your eyes, children) 24%.
Atlanta’s strategy against Randle is to show a double team from near the paint — but not totally commit to trapping — while forcing Randle to either take a contested jumper or pass. It’s been effective. It helps that Hawks center Clint Capela is an elite defender and thwarted Randle’s attempts at the driving.
“Every time he isos on the wing, the Hawks are bringing their center across the floor to his side so the guy on the ball can pressure him,” an NBA assistant coach said. “He can’t walk into easy jumpshots or get all the way to the rim. So it’s putting him in a position to pass. Like a soft double team.”
Barrett’s struggles are harder to understand. He’s simply just missing shots. Friday night was the worst of his three playoff performances, and the bar is low after he shot a combined 11 for 29 in Games 1 & 2.
The Knicks need better from their two supposed best players.
