ORLANDO, Fla. – If Julius Randle continues to blow his stack this often, the Knicks just might blow what’s left of their suddenly precarious lead on a playoff position.
Randle was assessed a technical foul for a third straight game at the halftime horn of Thursday’s game against the Magic for arguing with the referees.
He was pulled away from the discussion by Immanuel Quickley, and the two teammates jawed with each other for several seconds on the way to the locker room with the Knicks trailing, 53-45.
Julius Randle is escorted off the court at halftime by Knicks associate head coach Johnnie Bryant after receiving a technical from referee Leon Wood for arguing, and a subsequent discussion with Immanuel Quickley pic.twitter.com/9MkNwwKfwv
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) March 24, 2023
Randle now has 11 technical fouls for the season, one fewer than he received one year ago.
Randle appeared to be fouled on a driving bucket late in the second quarter, but he didn’t get the call and argued with referee Leon Wood after the horn sounded.
Randle has talked often this season about being in a better frame of mind and a desire to cut down on his tech total after a trying season in 2021-22.
But he also had thrown a tantrum during a March 11 loss in Los Angeles against the Clippers, and he needed to be physically restrained in that game by Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau.
The All-Star forward had netted a career-high 57 points – tied for the third-highest single-game total in team history – in a home loss Monday against the Timberwolves.
But Randle followed that up by shooting 7-for-16 and scoring 15 points, albeit with nine assists, in Wednesday’s loss in Miami.
