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After shooting a dismal 20.6% from 3-point range through the New York Knicks’ first 8 games, it looked like Julius Randle was headed for another season of shooting woes.
Recently, however, he has taken a complete turn from the point of view of efficiency. In Wednesday’s blowout loss against the Brooklyn Nets, Randle was the lone bright spot, scoring 24 points while shooting 4-for-8 from 3-point land.
His latest performance follows Monday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves in which he hit 8 threes and scored 31 points. His eight 3PM marks his personal career high. He is now shooting an astounding 53.6% from long range over his last 3 games.
Randle is averaging 28 PPG over his last 3 games at that terrific shooting clip. The quick turnaround boosted his overall 3-point percentage to a career-best 35.5%, which is eighth-best in the NBA among power forwards (minimum 25 MPG).
Julius Randle is like the Randle of old:
Flashback to 2021, where Randle shot an astounding 41.1% from 3 and earned a 4-year, $117 million contract extension with the Knicks after winning the Most Improved Player of the Year award. He followed that up with an abysmal shooting season, shooting just 30.8% from beyond the arc.
Given that he wasn’t a very efficient 3-point shooter before 2021, the reversal in effectiveness made Randle’s cash-in season look like an anomaly.
However, after it looked like his shooting struggles would continue, he regained his 2021 form. So what changed? He’s shot the ball from the outside with more confidence, has taken better shots from the outside, and has gotten better at creating his own shots from beyond the arc.
Randle’s resurgence from the outside couldn’t be better timed for the Knicks, as they’ve shot a below-league-average clip of 32.6% from beyond the arc over their last 5 games.
Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau stressed the importance of his team cleaning up its shooting from beyond the arc after Monday night’s win over the Timberwolves.
“Obviously, we want to attack the rim. I think we’re number one in the league in paint points. But when we do get good open 3s, we also have to think about how to create those opportunities.
Tom Thibodeau on the importance of 3-point shooting via the New York Post
Ideally, the Knicks will want to continue to shoot the ball well from 3-point distance, as this will effectively open up the floor for other players to get good looks inside the paint and from 3-point distance. Spacing has been a constant problem for the Knicks this season.
Randle will look to continue his hot shooting stretch when the Knicks return to Madison Square Garden for Friday night’s game against the Detroit Pistons.
This is the second time the Knicks and Pistons have met this season, and the first was the Knicks’ best 3-point performance of the season as they shot 42.1% from 3 and scored 130 points in a win.
Follow me on Twitter @DylanBacker_ For more Knicks coverage.
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