thelesterlee
We are only one week into the New York Knicks 2023-24 season which means it’s time to make sweeping accusations and wild overreactions based on a 5-game sample size. Personally, I think we’ve seen more than enough minutes to see what’s working and what’s not.
The Knicks are 2-3 and just lost a nasty Wednesday night home game against an injured Cavaliers team they should be running out of the gym.
Here are 3 overreactions after the first week of the New York Knicks 2023-24 season:
1. Julius Randle sucks again
Julius Randle is everything I hate in a ball player.
His role is too prominent for his talent level. He can’t dribble, shoot nor pass yet he is fully under the impression he’s ’68 Oscar Robertson. He’s a quitter who gives up when he’s struggling. The man plays no defense. He consistently makes mistakes and blames others for not being quick enough to cover up those mistakes. He blames the officiating when he’s struggling because he cannot fathom that perhaps his failures are his own fault. He’s selfish. And he’s a loser.
I think I’m going full mask-off on Randle this season.
Being All-NBA one season and G-League level the next isn’t a cute little meme anymore. He’s a baby who costs the Knicks more games than he wins them.
gets the ball with 21 on the shot clock does nothing finally passes it after 16 seconds pic.twitter.com/UkLAplM7vH
— Teg🚨 (@IQfor3) November 2, 2023
The fuck are you doing, my guy?
5 games into the season and Julius Randle is acting like he’s being forced to be an NBA player.
Let’s look at how Randle’s season is going so far:
- 13.2 points per game
- 27% shooting from the field
- 25% from 3
- 64% free throw
- 3 turnovers a night
Randle just shot 3-for-15 and 0-for-5 from 3 against the Cavaliers on Wednesday night.
You know what makes the great players great night in and night out? They’re prepared and they’re focused. Randle is neither of those things.
Julius Randle plays basketball like he just rolled out of bed and he can’t remember if he turned the stove off or not.
It is infuriating watching a professional basketball player play like he hates basketball. Retire or fucking try.
2. Tom Thibodeau won’t change
This is directly connected to Randle being a loser.
I’m not going to pretend like I am a basketball expert who knows more than the Knicks coaching staff. So if I can see Randle jogging up and down the court with no care in the world then Thibs sees the same thing but refuses to challenge him.
I’ve seen Immanuel Quickley on a scoring tear get immediately yanked following one defensive lapse yet Julius Randle can stand on the elbow just watching the opposing team score with his mouth open and he’ll still play 40 minutes a night.
At this point, what does Julius Randle do that Evan Fournier can’t do right now? I’m so disgusted with Randle that I’m campaigning for Evan Fournier minutes. I’m sick.
Julius Randle leads the team in minutes. He’s also the worst player on the team.
Yes, he makes the most money and all of those other faux-important things but I promise the team morale is far worse when Randle is bricking shots and refusing to get back on defense than it would be if Randle was pouting on the bench.
I will never forgive Thibs for starting Elfrid Payton every night of the 2020-21 season when Payton was always objectively the 10th-best player on the floor every single time he was on the floor. Thibs needs to set the tone NOW and establish you cannot play for this team if you aren’t putting in any effort.
3. RJ All-Star time
It’s happening. It’s finally happening. RJ Barrett is becoming the Prince Who Promised. He can finally SHOOT. Barrett is shooting 42% from 3 which is almost a full 10 points higher than his career average.
Yes, it’s the smallest sample size ever but a playoff series is a 4-game sample size so seeing Barrett is capable of shooting this well in four consecutive games is noteworthy.
He’s also one of the best scorers in transition so far which is huge because no one else in this Knicks starting lineup wants to run except Grimes head down rushing to the corner for a 3. Barrett has dunked more than I’m used to seeing. Finishing at the rim was one of his biggest flaws and he’s seemed to update his layup package.
But the biggest change is his on-ball defense. RJ Barrett is finally releasing how to contribute to winning outside of only scoring. He and Grimes and shut players down on the perimeter. He’s reaching All-Star level and I’m convinced he’ll make the roster this season if the Knicks hang around the 3-7 seeds in the East and Randle inevitably continues to play basketball like he’s being forced to clock into his minimum wage job in the Macy’s shoe department.
Can you imagine how incredible this Knicks team would be if Jalen Brunson and RJ Barrett had a big man like Julius Randle to rely on?
Whatever. Knicks in 4.
Is this the worst New York Knicks first week ever? Leave a comment below. Respond on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. Or shoot me an email at Deadseriousmailbag@gmail.com. Let’s chat, bay-beeeee. Let me know if you know Julius Randle so I can get on his good side before he reads what I’m about to write him this season.
