Julius Randle notched another triple-double, but he allowed a big 3 and missed a big 2.
In his first trip to Barclays Center since his teammates had to hold him back from confronting referee Scott Foster after a controversial finish on March 15, Randle tallied 19 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists. But, just like last time, the Knicks lost to the undermanned Nets despite their best player possessing the ball with a chance to tie.
“Got a great look — something I practice every day,” Randle said after missing the final shot in a 114-112 loss. “Felt good coming off my hands and didn’t go in.”
Three weeks ago, the Nets trailed, 115-112, when Randle was called for a travel. Replays showed that Kyrie Irving slapped the ball loose as Randle elevated for a 3. But Randle never lost possession of the ball and the officials ruled it a travel when he came back down with the ball. Two teammates prevented him from hunting down Foster after the final buzzer, but not from flipping a chair on the walk back to the locker room.
There was no whistle Monday, and Randle said that sequence wasn’t fresh in his mind. Just a horn that sounded as his 18-foot jump pull-up shot over Jeff Green clanged off the back rim.
Off a timeout, the Knicks drew up Randle faking a screen and curling free outside of the arc for the inbounds pass from Alec Burks.
“The last play has three different options and obviously he is the focal point,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “He has two other reads that he can go to. I thought he got a good look at it.”
The Knicks squandered a 13-point third-quarter lead as Irving scored 40 to lead the comeback. One of Irving’s biggest baskets, to open up a 100-94 lead, was a step-back 3 off of a behind-the-back dribble that left Randle out of position on a defensive switch.
Three minutes later, Randle and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarroot were called for double technical fouls after getting physical.
“I don’t really know what his problem was,” Randle said. “He’s not a guy on the court that I’m really worried about when I’m playing. He tried to give me a little forearm or whatever, so I slapped his arm off me.”
Four of Randle’s 10 career triple-doubles are in a Knicks uniform, including three in the last 12 games. Only five players — all guards — have more in franchise history. That statistic and close losses don’t matter much.
“It does nothing for me,” Randle said. “It’s either a win or a loss. There are not really any moral victories.”
Randle, who has been playing through a sore thigh, grimaced through pain for the final two minutes. He was holding his right knee after grabbing a defensive rebound, but that didn’t stop him from dribbling through his legs in isolation and shooting from midrange on the next few possessions. His two free throws cut the Knicks’ deficit to 112-109.
“I’m good,” Randle said. “No worries.”
