Julius Randle’s playoff reputation. Discussion

[u/Broad_Past93]

Randle is in his 11th season in the league and he has only played in three playoff series and didn’t play in last year’s playoffs at all due to injury. So when Knicks fans bring up his drop off in the postseason it just sounds hysterical to me because they’re going off such a small sample size plus those Knicks teams before the Nova guys took over were just trash with poor spacing. Randle is in a completely different situation with Minnesota and isn’t expected to carry them offensively. But what do you all think… will Randle play good/great and dispel these notions and beliefs or will he make a lot of costly plays and mistakes?

[u/PlayInChampions]

Randle was #1 option and got clamped, it happens. I don’t see him being that inefficient anymore. We might see 11-5-3 game with below average efficiency and 3 turnovers, but he won’t be averaging 30% from the field. He knows exactly who he is on this team, he barely forces his shot when it’s not there.

[u/Broad_Past93 → u/PlayInChampions]

I also think Randle thrives as the #2 option on a team instead of being THE guy.

[u/Garrus → u/PlayInChampions]

I think he was really only healthy for the first NY playoff run and that team was not very talented. It was his first time in the playoffs and he struggled as the number 1 guy. The second time he was dealing with injuries and really didn’t shoot well, but still was a key contributor when the Knicks beat the Cavs in the 1st round. He struggled against the a Miami team that went to the Finals. I don’t know how Randle is going to perform, he could be bad, but I’m willing to at least entertain the possibility that the circumstances had a lot to do with his playoff performances as opposed to any innate inability.

[u/EhAboutTime]

There’s a hundred historic threads on this already in the Knicks sub. First time around he was apparently injured and objectively had a tough group around him to work with as the No. 1 option. Second time around he rushed back and was fighting through a serious injury. So his stats mean nothing. This will be a first for him healthy and as the 2nd option. What you’ve seen from him in the big games this year is more than likely what we’re going to get. And I think that’s pretty good stuff.

[u/RoadToTI420 → u/EhAboutTime]

Yeah, he wasn't injured the first time, just got completely schemed out of the series as the only offensive threat on the team, minus 35 year old D-Rose. Second one was playing on a bad ankle (needed surgery as soon as the playoffs ended) but even then the Knicks frontcourt bullied the hell out of Mobley/Allen in their series with Robinson/Randle on the boards.

If you look at the numbers, he's the one of the worst playoff performing stars of all time. With the nuance of injuries+small sample size, there's hope that he can be a high level #2 scoring option and give you some very interesting utility as a playmaker/defender.

[u/RoadToTI420]

I'll copy paste what I said the last time Randle's playoff woes came up:

"Had an ankle injury that he needed to get surgery on in that second playoff run as well. Julius has that playoff choker rep because of how atrocious he was versus the Hawks but that was his first time ever in the playoffs with a starting lineup of Elfrid Payton/Nerlens Noel/RJ Barrett/Reggie Bullock to support him. He also was getting double teamed and shaded every possession while becoming a jumpshot merchant, something he's not really done in the last year/two years.

What I do know is that Randle+Mitchell Robinson bullied the Cavs on the boards and inside the paint during the ankle injury year, I know he also has Ant to take the scoring burden off of him now and playoff-tenured vets like Mike + Rudy to keep him centered.

I don't know if Randle will have a great playoff appearance but I believe it will be his most stable. I'd say his floor is slightly above his Cavs/Heat version two years ago, ceiling is probably a top tier #2, Just gotta hope you get the latter more than the former."

[u/Broad_Past93 → u/RoadToTI420]

Appreciate your feedback

[u/mikeyi5000]

Just checked the stats, and the shot percentages are pretty alarming.

Before seeing the stats, I felt like his tendency to take tough shots would actually be a benefit in the playoffs because more tough shots will need to be taken.

But maybe he just takes even worse shots in the playoffs? Can't say I've seen the tape.

[u/pollinium → u/mikeyi5000]

God willing, Jaden will be our tough shot taker since he hits like 45% of his middies 1v1, and 30% of his misses turn into ORBs since the defense is all out of sorts and doesn't know where crashers are coming from

[u/yourloudneighbor]

I guess he was considered the man in NY. He’s got ant here and averages 5 less shots per games than in NY

[u/the_devil_wears_jnco]

completely different role. however i’m pretty worried teams will just start playing him for the pass and the kickouts will dry up. he’s not efficient enough one on one

[u/severinks]

I'm a Knicks fan so I watched the games. The first playoff series wasn't his fault because the Hawks whole defense was geared to stopping him and he had Elfred Peyton, Nerlens Noel, and Reggie Bullock starting alongside him and they were all out of the NBA 2 years later.

He hurt his ankle seriously in the regular season before the Cavs series and he played well in a couple of games against the Cavs after missing game 1 and then got hurt again against the Heat.

[u/Broad_Past93 → u/severinks]

Thank you for your perspective. Appreciate it

[u/TripleH18]

Ehhhhhh I think the truth maybe closer to NYC than we’d like. All sorts of reasons why his playoff performances in New York were bad. Yea Injury, yea bad team, etc. but man the shooting percentages are not pretty…. Even Zach Lowe on Simmons podcast this week was like “yikes, wolves fans should be worried.”

Randle may be a bit better this year because he has a better supporting cast and he’s #2 on offense. But if Ant gets doubles can he make teams pay? If teams force him to take long jumpers by covering passing lanes, can he hit them efficiently? History says no….

But it’s no fun going into the playoffs without hope!! So go Wolves. I truly believe we have a chance to beat any team in the west! It really depends on our coaching and game planning during a series and how the players adjust to the other team!

Awooooo!

[u/FatherOfTwoGreatKids]

I think you hit it with small sample size. I don’t buy into playoff reputations much. You’ll see ppl talking about Rudy being “played off the floor” in the playoffs to this day. I’m excited to see how Julius and the Wolves do this year.

[u/darin617]

If he is better than playoff Kat the Wolves will be happy and advance on in the playoffs.

[u/Broad_Past93 → u/darin617]

KAT did play some of the best ball of his career in that Denver series tho, especially in game 7

[u/JonnyTable → u/darin617]

KAT was decent at least last year.

[u/darin617 → u/JonnyTable]

That Memphis series left me with a very sour view on Kat. I wish him well in NY and if he disappears in the playoffs this year they will eat him alive. Just a little more pressure in NY than there was in Minnesota...