Julius Randle brings back memories of Carmelo Anthony

A city longs for success!

New York is one of the most dazzling metropolises in the world. As the city that never sleeps, it inspires people all over the world to dream.

True to this self-image, there can only be one place for the Big Apple in sport – the place in the sun. The fans of the New York Knicks have been waiting in vain for years. The two NBA titles (1970, 1973) are nothing but the glories of days gone by.

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The last conference title also dates back to the last millennium (1999). The 2013 division title is just a measly title after the turn of the millennium. (All news and reports about the NBA)

As a reminder: In the same year, the Knicks finished the regular season with a positive balance for the last time. (NBA tables)

Julius Randle gives hope to Knicks fans

It was the highlight of the Carmelo Anthony era at Madison Square Garden. The native New Yorker should actually make the franchise a serious title contender again. Hope died out, however, and in 2017 the Brooklyn man moved to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

For Knicks fans, there has only been NBA sadness to marvel at since 2013. This year, however, that could change again: Julius Randle is currently in the shape of his life and plays like an all-star.

Julius Randle delivers double doubles on the assembly line, is in almost every statistic above his career values. An average of 22.6 points, 11.6 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game are numbers for a haunted star. (2020/21 NBA Season: All Games and Results)

In the latest coup against the great Golden State Warriors around mega-star Stephen Curry, the power forward shone once again, even scratching a triple-double (16 points, 17 rebounds, 9 assists).

Randle as a shooting star with comeback qualities

The 26-year-old had provided a completely different proof of his extraordinary abilities immediately after the 88: 109 bankruptcy at the Charlotte Hornets (with only eleven points and two of nine successful attempts from the field).

The comeback after a poor performance is the trademark of the greats in their sport – and in the duel with the Orlando Magic Randle underlined that he possessed this ability, brought on a strong double-double with 21 points and 17 rebounds in the 91: 84 victory Scoreboard.

At Madison Square Garden, fans already see Randle capable of what Anthony couldn’t deliver for years.

Anthony and Randle in comparison

Above all, his team skills raise the current Randle above Anthony’s level during his Knicks time. Former player and fan favorite Walt “Clyde” Frazier always defended Melo, but also knew about his weaknesses.

“I thought they should have kept him, but I also thought he should have tried to be more of a team player,” he said. “I always told him he should have been a 20/10/5 guy. But he wanted the 28, 29 points, not the rebounds, he didn’t include the guys.”

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However, this is exactly where Randle has its strengths. If he stands with the ball over his head in the High Post, he reminds of the former bearer of hope.

But unlike Anthony, who all too often opted for difficult throws, Randle sees his teammates and plays the easy passes. It’s not for nothing that he is currently ranked 17th in the list of the NBA’s best passers per game this season.

But Randle shows his importance for the team not only offensively. He also excels defensively compared to Melo, who was never known as the great defensive artist. While Anthony put down his best value in the Knicks jersey with a box-plus-minus value of -0.2, Randle got a value of 1.0 here.

However, it remains to be seen whether the number 30 of the Knicks will feel comfortable in the role of the new bearer of hope in the long run. So far Randle has shown that even a Carmelo Anthony’s footprints don’t have to be too big for him. But he inevitably owes long-term evidence of this.

Randle is not yet an MVP candidate for NBA

What’s more: The NBA executives don’t seem to be completely convinced of him, because the man from Dallas (Texas) has not yet made it into the ranks of the top MVP candidates.

Tyler Relph, who has known Randle since his youth and is in contact with him before and after every game, only had a short statement left for this decision: “We have more work to do.”

They’ll be happy to hear that in New York. Because the dream that Carmelo Anthony once sparked is still far from extinct.

Maybe now Julius Randle will fill him.

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