Every aspect of Julius Randle’s game has leveled up this season.
But perhaps the most drastic change in Randle’s game was the three-point shot. After shooting just 27.7 percent past last season’s arc and averaging just 29.5 percent for his entire career in 2020-21, Randle is now shooting 42.8 percent from center, a drastic hike from where he was a shooter.
Tuesday’s 131-113 win over the Washington Wizards was one of the best three-point shooting nights of the striker’s career, as he went 7 for 10 from over the arc en route to his 37 points.
At one point in the third, Randle punched through three consecutive three threes, driving the crowd confined to the Garden crazy.
“I did a heat check,” Randle laughed. “I was about to pull up from the middle of the pitch at one point. That’s how good I felt. So yeah, I had to roll it. “
All the extra work Randle put into his shot over the summer, which translated directly into his improved number of shots.
“I’m not surprised. I’m only confident because I put the job in,” Randle said. “I know how hard I work, how hard I’ve worked this summer to try and improve as a shooter, so honestly, I’m not very surprised.
“I was obsessive about it. Obviously, we’ve had a long offseason with everything that happened with the quarantine and the season being closed and stuff like that, but I’m telling you, man. I am not surprised. You put in the time, effort and work, that stuff doesn’t surprise me. This is how it should be”.