BOSTON — It was a thumbs-down efficiency by the Knicks — and Julius Randle.
Evan Fournier was out with a bruised thigh, so the Knicks wanted Randle to be his All-Star self Saturday evening towards the Celtics, particularly after the facility ahead created an pointless distraction for the crew this week.
However Randle seemed to be urgent after placing himself within the highlight, first giving a thumbs-down to Backyard followers Thursday evening within the first conflict of the week towards Boston after which saying he did it to sign the followers to “shut the f–ok up.’’
Randle, getting worse as the sport wore on, had no contact and was sloppy, at occasions failing to catch passes. And the Knicks had been offensively inept as they had been routed, 99-75, at TD Backyard.
It was the fewest factors the Knicks, who shot 36.7 p.c, have scored since 2018.
Randle completed with 13 factors, capturing 6-for-19 and 1-for-8 from 3-point vary. He crammed up the boxscore, committing six turnovers with six assists and 12 rebounds in 38 minutes.
“I don’t know if he was urgent,’’ Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau mentioned. “They loaded up on him fairly good. That was anticipated. I believed he made a variety of actually good performs when the protection collapsed and he sprayed it out for good high quality seems from 3.
“However to win on the street, you must play for 48 minutes and we didn’t try this.’’
Randle was not made out there for remark after the sport and reporters usually are not permitted into locker rooms this season as a result of COVID-19 protocols.
Thibodeau had wished Randle to place the controversy behind him after he apologized on Instagram and was fined $25,000 by the NBA for “egregious use of profane language.’’
Earlier than the sport, Thibodeau acknowledged Randle’s mistake.
“Like anybody, you may have a foul day at work and also you bounce again the subsequent day,” the coach mentioned. “Simply be sure it’s not two days in a row.’’
There was no storybook bounce-back for Randle.
The Knicks additionally wanted an enormous recreation from Alec Burks with Fournier out for simply the second time this season. Fournier had scored 41 factors within the Knicks’ buzzer-beating win Thursday and had dominated the Celtics all season. Burks, nevertheless, laid an egg, scoring eight factors on 2-for-11 capturing.
The Knicks had been additionally depressing from the free-throw line, capturing 6-for-15. RJ Barrett scored 19 factors, however was 1-for-5 from the road.
“I feel that’s simply going to occur typically,’’ Barrett mentioned. “There’s a number of video games in the course of the season and, for some motive, right now was that day.’’
The Knicks (19-21) and Celtics (19-21) now have the identical document and have completed their season collection at 2-2. They might meet within the play-in event, which is able to function the seventh to tenth place groups within the Jap Convention.
With out Fournier, Thibodeau began Immanuel Quickley and Burks within the backcourt.
“He’s an excellent participant, good veteran participant, even when he’s not scoring he’s creating house, which is significant for us,’’ Thibodeau mentioned of Fournier. “However that being mentioned we now have greater than sufficient to win with.’’
Boston’s Jaylen Brown (22 factors) drilled a 3-pointer with one second left within the third quarter to ship the Celtics into the ultimate interval with a 76-60 lead.
Randle didn’t rating throughout a really poor third quarter through which he confirmed dangerous arms (or thumbs), bobbling passes, committing two turnovers and lacking two straight 3-pointers.
“I preferred the way in which we performed within the first half,’’ Thibodeau mentioned. “However within the first couple of minutes of the third we bought again on our heels.’’
Within the first half, Randle didn’t shoot properly, however he drew double groups and recorded 4 assists. Nonetheless, his halftime line was bleak: 3-for-10, 1-for-5 from 3-point vary and 4 turnovers, together with two dangerous passes on consecutive possessions. One Randle supply was intercepted, the opposite went out of bounds.
Randle’s backup, Obi Toppin, didn’t have something going both. The fan favourite is regressing and had a regrettable efficiency.
Toppin was scoreless in 9 minutes, had two of his driving makes an attempt blocked and shot an airball which may have landed in Boston Harbor, the place the tea fell with extra frequency than the Knicks’ bounce pictures.
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