ORLANDO, Fla. – If Julius Randle continues to blow his stack this often, the Knicks just might blow what’s left of their suddenly precarious lead on a playoff position.
Randle was assessed a technical foul for a 3rd straight game on the halftime horn of Thursday’s game against the Magic for arguing with the referees.
He was pulled away from the discussion by Immanuel Quickley, and the 2 teammates jawed with one another for several seconds on the strategy to the locker room with the Knicks trailing, 53-45.
Randle now has 11 technical fouls for the season, one fewer than he received one yr ago.
Randle seemed to be fouled on a driving bucket late within the second quarter, but he didn’t get the decision and argued with referee Leon Wood after the horn sounded.
Randle has talked often this season about being in a greater way of thinking and a desire to chop down on his tech total after a trying season in 2021-22.
But he also had thrown a tantrum during a March 11 loss in Los Angeles against the Clippers, and he needed to be physically restrained in that game by Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau.
The All-Star forward had netted a career-high 57 points – tied for the third-highest single-game total in team history – in a house loss Monday against the Timberwolves.
But Randle followed that up by shooting 7-for-16 and scoring 15 points, albeit with nine assists, in Wednesday’s loss in Miami.
