BBNBA: Julius Randle stays hot in Knicks win

There might not be a player in the NBA on a bigger heater than Julius Randle. The former Kentucky big man put up 32 points, including five-made smooth-looking lefty 3-pointers, and 11 rebounds in the New York Knicks’ win over the Toronto Raptors on Friday.

This marked the sixth time Randle has had more than 25 points, 10 rebounds, and five 3s made this season. That leads the NBA and is double the amount the next player, MVP candidate Jayson Tatum, who has three such games. Jaylen Brown and Kyle Kuzma have done it twice. No other player in the league has done it more than once.

Want more Julius Randle superlatives? Let’s go.

In the last 20 games, Randle leads the NBA in +/- at +171. The Knicks are 13-7 in that stretch. Also, you may have heard Luka Doncic posting NBA 2K-type numbers lately, including a 60-point effort where he said he needed a recovery beer afterward. Well, in the last 30 games, he is tied with Julius Randle in total points scored (468). In the last month, not only does Randle lead the league in points, he is second in rebounds and sixth in 3-point makes.

For the season, he is on pace to score 1,981 points, grab, 811 rebounds, dish out 315 assists, and make 217 3s. No player in NBA history has had 2000+ points, 800+ rebounds, 300+ assists, and 200+ 3s.

And yet, he is not in the top 10 for Eastern Conference front-court players in NBA All-Star voting. Fans have long butchered All-Star ballots in every sport, but leaving Randle off is simply voting malpractice. It isn’t like he plays in a small market either. Wise up, fans. Get him in.

Randle’s teammate, Immanuel Quickley, got the start for the Knicks on Friday and contributed 13 points, five boards, and four assists.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drops 30 in Thunder win

Randle may not be getting love in the form of All-Star votes, but Shai-Gilgeous Alexander is. Quade Green’s former backup ranks fourth in total votes among Western Conference guards and for good reason.

On Friday, he casually dropped 30 points in the Thunder’s victory over the Washington Wizards. He also pitched in three rebounds, four assists, a steal, and two blocks to round out the night.

According to Vegas, SGA has the best odds to win Most Improved Player, and I don’t see anyone catching him. He is averaging over 30 points per contest, six better than his average last season. The Thunder haven’t stacked up a ton of wins, but if it weren’t for Shai, they might not have more than a couple.

Tyrese Maxey is back

Now four games back into action after sitting out a month due to injury, Tyrese Maxey looks to be feeling comfortable on the court again. On Friday, Maxey put up 26 points, including 5-6 from deep, the most since his return. He also dished out six assists.

At the beginning of the season, Maxey looked to be a strong contender to win the league’s Most Improved Player award, becoming the second Kentucky player to win it in three years (Julius Randle won it in 2021). The injury derailed that goal, but it looks like Shai is going to run away with that crown anyway.

Regardless, it is great to see Maxey come into his own on a playoff contender full of big personalities. The 76ers, sans Joel Embiid, fell to Chicago Bulls at home.

Other BBNBA Notes

• Bam Adebayo led the Miami Heat past the Phoenix Suns with an impressive 21 points and 11 rebounds. The Suns have been struggling without Devin Booker, who will likely miss all of January with a groin strain. Tyler Herro also sat out on Friday with back spasms.
• PJ Washington had his best scoring nights in several games as he put up 23 in the Hornets’ upset victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. Third-year Nick Richards only saw two minutes of action but grabbed a rebound while on the court.
• Jamal Murray continued to find his rhythm on Friday with 18 points in the Nuggets win. Murray hit a fake spin-move jumper that makes it look like he fully trusts his injured knee once again and is ready to help lead his first-place Nuggets to a title run (alongside revolutionary teammate Nikola Jokic, of course).
• John Wall had 14 points and eight assists off the bench for the Clippers, though they were beaten handily by the Karl-Anthony Towns-less Timberwolves. Brandon Boston Jr. put up a quick eight points in five minutes of garbage time.
• Keldon Johnson injured his hamstring and sat out the second half of the Spurs’ win over Detroit. He had 13 points before his exit. For the Pistons, Hamidou Diallo scored seven points in 17 minutes off the bench.
• Isaiah Jackson scored the most points he has had in a month, posting 12 against the Trail Blazers. NBA Slam Dunk Contest competitor, Shaedon Sharpe, had just four points for Portland. Meanwhile in Los Angeles, Wenyen Gabriel also had four points in the team’s win, as the Lakers decide whether or not to bring back DeMarcus Cousins to help with front-court depth due to the absence of Anthony Davis.

1/6/2023 Statistics

Player	Score	PTS	FG (3PT)	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	MIN	+/-
Julius Randle (NYK)	112-108 W vs. TOR	32	10-22 (6-11)	11	3	0	0	3	40	+2
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC)	127-110 W vs. WAS	30	12-23 (1-4)	3	4	1	2	0	33	+30
Tyrese Maxey (PHI)	112-126 L vs. CHI	26	8-15 (5-6)	3	6	1	0	1	37	+1
PJ Washington (CHA)	138-109 W vs. MIL	23	9-14 (5-10)	2	2	2	0	1	28	+18
Bam Adebayo (MIA)	104-96 W vs. PHX	21	10-15 (0-0)	11	2	2	1	1	38	+17
Jamal Murray (DEN)	121-108 W vs. CLE	18	7-13 (2-5)	4	2	1	2	1	32	+7
John Wall (LAC)	115-128 L vs. MIN	14	6-12 (0-1)	1	8	1	2	1	26	0
Immanuel Quickley (NYK)	112-108 W vs. TOR	13	4-8 (0-3)	5	4	0	0	0	37	+9
Isaiah Jackson (IND)	108-99 W vs. POR	12	5-6 (0-0)	1	0	0	2	0	14	-7
Brandon Boston Jr. (LAC)	115-128 L vs. MIN	8	3-5 (1-1)	3	0	1	0	0	5	+
Keldon Johnson (SAS)	121-109 W vs. DET	8	3-6 (0-3)	0	1	0	0	0	13	+2
Hamidou Diallo (DET)	109-121 L vs. SAS	7	3-5 (0-0)	3	0	0	0	0	17	+4
Wenyen Gabriel (LAL)	130-114 W vs. ATL	4	2-2 (0-0)	5	2	0	0	2	19	+16
Shaedon Sharpe (POR)	99-108 L vs. IND	4	1-4 (1-3)	4	2	1	0	3	19	-4
Nick Richards (CHA)	138-109 W vs. MIL	0	0-0 (0-0)	0	0	2	0	0	2	+3
Anthony Davis (LAL)	130-114 W vs. ATL	DNP – Foot
Devin Booker (PHX)	96-104 L vs. MIA	DNP – Groin
Kevin Knox (DET)	109-121 L vs. SAS	DNP – CD
Nerlens Noel (DET)	109-121 L vs. SAS	DNP – CD
Karl-Anthony Towns (MIN)	128-115 W vs. LAC	DNP – Calf
Tyler Herro (MIA)	104-96 W vs. PHX	DNP – Back

Tonight in the NBA

6:00: Celtics @ Spurs (Johnson)
8:00: Jazz (Vanderbilt) @ Bulls
8:00: Pelicans @ Mavericks
8:30: Magic @ Warriors
10:00: Lakers (Davis, Gabriel) @ Kings (Fox, Monk, Lyles)