The New York Knicks Are Shocking the League

When you're 4-3 to start the season, it shouldn't really be celebrated too much but that's not the case at all for the New York Knicks who have been horrible for years and may just be turning it around.

The team has won four of five games and their recent hot streak has a lot to do with the play of Julius Randle and RJ Barrett. However, if you ask the two players, they will point the finger at their new head coach as the reason the team is winning ball games.

Randle recently spoke to the media and had this to say about head coach Tom Thibodeau:

Every game we come in we expect to win, even if it's a (tough) matchup, we expect to win the game. And I love that about our group. And I think it's also a testament to the coaches. (Thibodeau) every day is on us. He's a great leader for us and (has) given us a game plan we believe in every day, and we're coming into every game focused and locked into the game plan.

Randle has been a beast for the Knicks and is playing some of the best basketball of his career. He's healthy which is the main key and has seen some games over 40 minutes of court time.

As for Barrett, the super-sophomore is averaging 18.3 points, 7.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. The increase in stats from his rookie year has everything to do with him seeing the court more with Coach Thibs, as he's up to 38.7 minutes per game, over eight minutes more from his rookie year. The Canadian Barrett had this to say about his new bench boss:

It starts with Thibs and then it goes all the way down. Julius is tough every night. It goes all the way down the line. Everybody that comes in the game plays hard, plays with an edge. Everybody on the team contributes in many different ways and it's been great so far.

Photo credit: Xinhua/Imago/Icon Sportswire

Julius Randle x RJ Barrett tonight:

Randle - 28 PTS - 17 REB - 9 AST - 57 FG%

Barrett - 26 PTS - 11 REB - 5 AST - 52 FG%

Knicks are 4-3. 👀 pic.twitter.com/HJYIXXlHca
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) January 5, 2021