PHOENIX — Julius Randle mentioned the opposite night time the Knicks’ season is much from over and for nearly three quarters Friday night time, he made positive of it.
Then, the enigmatic aspect of Randle reared its ugly head and he was ejected with 2:40 left within the third quarter, with the Knicks up by 10 factors, after shoving Suns ahead Cam Johnson.
With out Randle and with Johnson fired up, the Knicks couldn’t maintain the lead at a wild Footprint Heart.
Johnson led the Suns to a miracle end, capping a superb fourth quarter by banking in a 32-foot 3-pointer on the buzzer at hand the Knicks one other heartbreaking, simply avoidable loss, 115-114.
With Randle within the locker room, Johnson scored 21 of his 38 factors within the fourth quarter to steer the comeback win and ship the Knicks to their seventh straight loss — and essentially the most crushing.
“He was hooping, carrying us tonight, he was on his approach to a 40-point night time,’’ RJ Barrett mentioned of Randle. “It might’ve helped us with the vitality he delivered to the sport. However we nonetheless ought to’ve received that recreation.
“Even when Julius went down we held our personal. We undoubtedly 100 percen ought to’ve received the sport. [Cam] was on hearth and made a fantastic shot on the finish. It hurts, however we’re nonetheless strolling away with pleasure.’’
Randle was not made accessible for remark afterward.
“You may’t cross over that line,’’ Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau mentioned. “You bought to know the place to cease. None of us are excellent. We’re going to make errors. However we acquired to be disciplined.’’
“It’s robust to lose him. He had a fantastic recreation going. I’m involved about all the pieces. The disgrace of it’s I assumed we got here out with a fantastic effort to start out the sport. We had the sport entering into a great way, and we fell brief in the long run. It’s disappointing to return out with a loss.’’
The Suns took the lead with 30 seconds left, however Knicks heart Mitchell Robinson (17 factors, 15 rebounds, 8-for-8 from the sector) scored on a tip-in with 15 seconds left, giving the Knicks the 113-112 lead and showing to make himself the hero whereas additionally bailing Randle out.
Alec Burks made one among two foul photographs to make it 114-112 earlier than Johnson’s game-winning 3-pointer and the Knicks couldn’t seize the loose-ball rebound.
Randle (25 factors) had been a firebrand all night, however then misplaced his mood. Randle morphed into his supercharged mode — the identical frenetic kind as when he made his notorious “thumbs-down’’ gesture to followers earlier this season.
Johnson tried boxing Randle out and the Knicks veteran elbowed him away as they battled for a rebound. Johnson then shoved Randle within the again earlier than Randle turned to the Suns teenager, began jawing and shoved him because the referee was getting in between them.
After the sport, Johnson mentioned their battle had began early within the recreation and stored escalating and had “adrenaline’’ going for him within the fourth quarter due to the scuffle.
Barrett, who scored 20 factors however shot simply 6 of 26, mentioned he didn’t discuss to Randle afterward and he and Thibodeau mentioned that they had no concept what occurred. Thibodeau mentioned he, too, hadn’t conversed with Randle, who completed with 25 factors in 28 minutes, going 9-for-18 and hitting all six of his free throws. He additionally had seven rebounds and 4 assists.
Gamers from either side began grabbing one another, and the fracas resulted with two technical fouls levied towards Randle, which led to an automated ejection following a referee overview. Johnson acquired one technical. After the skirmish, Evan Fournier high-fived Randle, not realizing his teammate was about to be tossed.
The Knicks had been up 86-76 with all of the momentum earlier than the incident. They nonetheless carried a 93-81 lead into the fourth quarter. Randle’s backup, Obi Toppin, was already out due to a hamstring harm. Cam Reddish got here in to play energy ahead and initially helped hold the lead.
It has been an offended season for Randle, who has battled referees, the followers and assistant coaches, and who hasn’t been the chief he wanted to be because the Knicks’ returning All-Star.
“Dropping him was robust however we nonetheless acquired to win the sport,’’ Barrett mentioned. “We’re a person down however everybody has to step up.’’
