How the first quarter is key to unlocking Knicks' Julius Randle

Julius Randle is off to a slow start this season, and the reason might be because he’s been a dawdler at the start of most games he’s played this year.

Randle was New York’s king of the first quarter last season. He was fourth in the NBA in first quarter scoring (9.1 points) and shot well from the field (47.1 percent) and the 3-point line (38.8 percent). The two-time All-Star set a franchise scoring record with a total of 703 first quarter points last season. In 77 first quarters last year, Randle scored in double figures 35 times, including 11 occasions where he registered at least 15 points.

This season tells a completely different story. Randle has just three double-figure first quarters in 19 games. His stats in the opening frame have dropped this season to 6.6 points (18th in the league), 38.7 percent shooting from the field, and 32.5 percent from beyond the arc.

But there’s hope for the future. Randle is turning a corner in his cold starts. His six best opening frame scoring performances have come in the past two weeks, including Tuesday night when he had 11 points in the Knicks' 115-91 win against the Charlotte Hornets and recorded nine points in back-to-back wins on Thursday and Friday night against the Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors, respectively.

The reason for the turnaround is a more concerted effort to get Randle the ball in prime locations to attack early such as the Hornets game. It has led to a much more decisive Randle and has yielded positive results. After recording 20 points against Toronto on Friday, Randle has scored at least 20 points in four straight games.

One minor concern is the effect that could have on Jalen Brunson, who notably took a backseat to Randle in that win against Charlotte. As Randle’s numbers have decreased in the first quarter, New York’s point guard has thrived in that time. Brunson is sixth in the NBA in first quarter scoring with 7.7 points on 51 percent shooting from the field and a scorching 58.8 percent from three.

3-point shooting a cause for concern

The whole season has been a general disappointment for Randle who was trying to bounce back from offseason ankle surgery. Though he has played better over the last few weeks, Randle’s efficiency still hasn't recovered, especially from the 3-point line. The season has not been what Randle expected as he looked to prioritize improving his efficiency way back in training camp.

After having a respectable performance last year (34.3 percent), Randle has had a rough go of it from outside. The 6-foot-8 forward is knocking down just 27.9 percent of his 111 3-point attempts.

Similar to the 2021-22 season when he shot 30.8 percent from three, Randle has gone away from the perimeter shot and tried to be more of a bully in the paint and in the post. Points in the paint make up nearly 48 percent of Randle’s total points this season, per NBA Stats.

A signature play for Randle right now is posting up on the right side of the floor and turning around for a fadeaway jumper in the paint over his left shoulder. The more Randle becomes a problem on the block, the more help that can draw from the defense, freeing up opportunities for his teammates. Randle is tied for the lead on the team in assists (5.5) with Brunson.

After attempting 11.4 treys per 100 possessions last season, Randle’s attempts have dropped to 8.3 this season. Luckily for him, the rest of the Knicks have picked up the slack from long distance. Brunson and Donte DiVincenzo are both shooting career-highs from deep while RJ Barrett has exceeded his career numbers. That has placed the Knicks at seventh place in 3-point percentage (37.7 percent).

It would be great to get Randle going from three to preserve spacing in New York’s offense. But Randle has proven to be consistently inconsistent over the past several years from three. Regardless of the efficiency concerns, Randle needs to be aggressive and decisive with the ball if the Knicks are going to continue to play well.