Julius Randle was fined $ 15,000 by the NBA and then tried to score 15,000 points on the easy Wizards.
Randle took out all of the referee’s enduring frustration on Washington Tuesday at the Garden when he brought in 37 points, 7 of 10 3-pointers, when the Knicks blew out the Wizards 131-113. Randle’s seven threes have been equal in their careers.
The All-Star forward, who was punished for his incendiary comments about the referee in the Knicks’ loss to Philly on Sunday, is the main reason the Knicks are 22-22, already surpassing last season’s total.
“The explanation was that the most important thing was victory,” said Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau of Randle. ‘He did that for us a number of times. Coming back after a heavy loss and the way we lost the game, that’s what leaders do. “
Randle, who didn’t miss a game this season, shot 13 of 24 off the field when the Knicks won a wire-to-wire blowout.
On Thursday they will face the Wizards at the Garden again. With one more win, the Knicks would have schooled Las Vegas, which had their Over / Under for wins at 22 ½.
Randle had 35 points by the middle of the third quarter, hitting three points over all of Washington’s youth, including Israeli lottery Deni Avidja and Rui Hachimuru.
Thibodeau kept Randle in for much of the fourth quarter instead of rolling with rookie Obi Toppin, the Knicks’ lottery pick in a slump. Toppin played only eight minutes and was winless for the fourth game in a row when Randle offered him some comforting words on the bench late in the game.
The Knicks built a 69-49 lead at half-time and Randle went for 21 runs, made 8 of 14 shots and hit 3 of 4 from the 3-point line.
Center Mitchell Robinson, back in his second game after hand surgery, scored 16 points with 12 rebounds and three blocks. RJ Barrett scored 21 points and Alec Burks added 20.
Start guard Elfrid Payton returned from a four-game absence with a hamstring load. He lifted a high step for Robinson, who jumped to the ceiling of the Garden for the monster blow.
Before the game, Robinson admitted it would take a little more time.
“I just have to get back in shape, like when playing games,” he said. “I ran a lot. I just have to get back to myself when it comes to the shape of playing games. But it felt great to be back again. go out with the boys. ”