Julius Randle shines as Knicks spoil James Harden’s Clippers debut

The New York Knicks power forward Julius Randle found his shooting touch, and RJ Barrett made a strong comeback, just in time to spoil James Harden’s latest debut.

Against a lineup featuring former MVPs and All-Stars, the Knicks dominated the fourth quarter in Monday’s 111-97 victory, breaking a two-game losing streak and securing their first home win of the season at Madison Square Garden.

Randle, who had been a focal point of the team’s early-season struggles, entered the game with the NBA’s worst field-goal percentage among double-digit scorers.

However, he responded with a season-high 27 points on 9-for-20 shooting, along with a double-double of 10 rebounds.

Despite his standout performance, Randle kept postgame discussions brief, offering short answers after a week of intense media scrutiny.

“Y’all watched the game,” Randle said. “I’ll let you evaluate it.”