The New York Knicks defeated the Chicago Bulls in a hard-fought game on Monday night, but anyone who saw the way Julius Randle walked off the court would never have known.
Randle had one of his worst games of the season in the 109-104 win. He scored just 4 points on 1-of-9 shooting, though he did grab 13 rebounds. After the final buzzer sounded, Randle hung his head, tossed the ball and headed to the locker room.
Randle knows that buzzer means we WON right??? https://t.co/RYxDEDySm3
— Knicks Memes (@KnicksMemes) March 29, 2022
That certainly did not look like the reaction of a player whose team had just won. Those who have followed the Knicks this season probably were not surprised.
Randle is having another solid year on paper. He has averaged 20.1 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. However, his attitude has been an issue on numerous occasions. The 27-year-old has been fined multiple times by the NBA for ejections and technical fouls. Randle has looked unhappy for much of the year, which has reportedly become a concern for the Knicks.
Randle has supposedly been playing through a sore quad lately, so that could be one reason for his frustration. He was on the bench for much of the fourth quarter, and Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau defended the former Kentucky star’s toughness after the game.
"A lot of guys probably wouldn't be playing. He wants to play. I've got great respect for that. Give us what you can. & if you can't play I still want you to give us what you can. Be on the bench, be into the game, encourage the young guys…communicate”
— Thibs on Julius Randle pic.twitter.com/obOdC5g8Zw
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) March 29, 2022
Whatever the reason, Randle clearly is not enjoying himself this year.
Photo: Nov 8, 2021; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Knicks forward Julius Randle (30) reacts against the Philadelphia 76ers in the first half at the Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Mitchell Leff-USA TODAY Sports
