Last year’s 2021 Knicks team, may have been the 2013 version of the Knicks in terms of the right pieces in place to play Randle-ball. The 2013-Melo ball Knicks peaked as a 2nd round playoff team and last years Randle-ball knicks peaked as a 4th seed. Of course, last year’s team benefited from an abnormal year due to covid, fan-less arenas, injuries, etc. Melo was top 3 in MVP voting and Randle was 2nd team all NBA. Melo never came close to MVP again and although Randle is younger, I doubt we will see another season like that from Randle. In the moment, I think most Knick fans enjoyed the 2013 season. But the few of us who stepped outside of the moment and peeked down the road knew a team of Kidd, Kurt Thomas and Wallace didn’t have much of a future. As much as Knicks fans enjoyed last season, most realistic fans knew, that last year’s team wouldn’t have the same success in the future.
In 2013, management knew we needed more offense but made the mistake of adding Bargs. This year we added more offense with Evan and Kemba. The problem is when you commit to playing Melo-ball or Randle-ball, you can’t add too many pieces that need the ball to be effective because Randle is going to occupy the ball most of the time and if you are not a sole catch and shoot player, at times you may look a little lost as you try to fit in. We had 2 options this summer; we needed to bring in a player who is no doubt a better player than Randle as to force us away from Randle-Ball, or move Randle when as his value was as high it will ever be. I was in the camp of moving him this summer.
Randle-Ball is one of the main reasons why this offense is stagnant, inconsistent, and uninspiring. Similar to Melo, Randle plants himself at the high elbow, demanding the ball for a high post-up. When he gets it, it grinds the offense to a halt. He holds the ball waiting for double teams that may or may not come. His teammates are standing around on the perimeter on the weak side, no cutting, no off-ball screens, and ultimately no ball movement (This is Thibs fault as well, for not being innovative on the offensive end). When Randle does pass it, it’s rarely to get the ball moving but to get a direct assist. How many times have we seen Randle hold the ball, run down the shot clock, then throw a jump pass to Fournier, Quickley, or Burks who has to put up 3 at the end of the shot? When he doesn’t have the ball, he never cuts, and usually, when he sets screens, it is to repost and get the ball back. There were a few times when he set a pick for Kemba and rolled to the basket for a couple of easy dunks. It happened last night against the Bulls, but we didn’t go back to it because Randle went back to the high post, demanding the ball. I thought we were done with this **** when we finally moved Melo…
Two of RJ’s strengths coming out of Duke were that of a slasher and an open-court player. Our 1st unit never pushes the tempo and our Iso-centric offense has turned RJ into a spot-up shooter. RJ is 6’6, 215lbs. RJ needs to be playing downhill. Would like to see more off-the-ball basket cuts. Maybe some duck-ins for quick post-ups to take advantage of his strength and size. RJ has the size and strength to play bully-ball, not spending most of the offense hanging out 23 feet from the basket while Randle massages the ball. Randle isn’t the only one to blame for our lackluster offense, Thibs takes a lot of the blame too but that’s another thread.
In the end, it looks like we are headed towards a 7-10 seed this year. We may shuffle some chairs around next year, but as long as Randles is sitting at the head of the table, it will probably be much more of the same.
11/22/2021 6:26 PM
