Julius Randle leads Knicks past Kings with career-high 46 points
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Julius Randle hit eight 3-pointers and scored 17 of his career-high 46 points in the third quarter as the New York Knicks rallied from a 20-point deficit and beat the Sacramento Kings 131-115 on Monday night.
One night after beating the Los Angeles Clippers in a win fueled mostly by New York's younger players, Randle rallied the Knicks with a phenomenal shooting display in the second half. He made 12 of 17 shots after halftime, going 7 for 11 from beyond the arc, and finished with 10 rebounds.
"Julius got going and it was pretty terrific what he did," Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. "When he plays with that type of intensity it lifts everyone. He was attacking the basket, he was shooting the 3, he was making hustle plays. It was a great all-around game from him in so many different ways."
RJ Barrett had 29 points, eight rebounds and six assists to help the Knicks to their second consecutive win after seven straight losses. Immanuel Quickley added 27 points.
Domantas Sabonis had 19 points and 13 rebounds for the Kings before being ejected in the fourth quarter after receiving double technicals. De'Aaron Fox scored 24 points, and Harrison Barnes had 23.
"It was just a frustrating game," Sabonis said. "We keep getting these leads playing the right way and we just can't come out in the second half and sustain it."
Held to 48 points in the first half, the Knicks nearly doubled their output in the third quarter when they outscored the Kings 44-24.
Randle opened the period with a 3-pointer and then made two more to give New York its first lead. Quickley scored four straight points, Fournier added two free throws and Randle made two free throws and a layup to put New York ahead 92-87.
The Kings got within 96-94 early in the fourth, before Quickley made a 3-pointer and Barrett scored on a layup. Randle followed with consecutive 3s to cap the 11-0 run.
"No second-guessing," Randle said. "Just open shot, shoot it. Sacramento plays a really high pace and we had to get our transition in order and get stops and get our rhythm. Once we got stops offense came a lot easier."
The Knicks had lost 11 of 13.
"You're up 17, 18 points, you can't have a couple of possessions that are bad possessions," Kings interim coach Alvin Gentry said. "There are a ton of teams that have lost 20-point leads in the last couple of days. New York has lost four games when they've been up 20. The way everything is played, 20 is just not that much."
The game was paused in the third quarter when Cam Reddish crashed hard to the court on his right shoulder and was taken to the locker room, further depleting an already shortened Knicks roster. Thibodeau said that Reddish was still being evaluated after the game.
DOESN'T HAPPEN OFTEN
The Kings became the fourth team in the last 25 seasons to lose a game by 16 or more after leading by 16 or more after the first quarter, joining the Bulls (2019), Timberwolves (2003) and Clippers (2000)
TIP-INS
Knicks: Evan Fournier had 15 points and made three 3-pointers to give him 187 this season, third-most in franchise history. ... Taj Gibson had five points and eight rebounds after sitting out Sunday because of an illness. ... Jericho Sims picked up three fouls in his first six minutes on the court. ... Obi Toppin (strained left hamstring) was held out a third consecutive game.
Kings: Alvin Gentry was whistled for his first technical foul this season in the second quarter. ... Richaun Holmes (personal reasons), Moe Harkless (right ankle sprain) and Jeremy Lamb (left hip soreness) did not play.
UP NEXT
Knicks: Continue their seven-game trip against the Mavericks on Wednesday. New York has won four straight in Dallas.
Kings: Host the Nuggets on Wednesday. Denver is 3-0 against Sacramento this season.
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