Julius Randle

Championships aren’t won in the month of January, but in the middle of their hottest stretch since 1994, Julius Randle and the New York Knicks weren’t interested in hearing such thoughts. With the pressure reaching its boiling point late in a tie game against their in-state rival Brooklyn Nets, Randle and the Knicks elect to up their ante, generating a gritty, hustle-heavy defensive stop. Providing a transition outlet for his teammate, the three-time All-Star culminates the dazzling sequence by sprinting out for a two-on-one fastbreak, rewarding his Knicks with both a two-handed flush and a lead they would never again relinquish. In one of many highlights during the 14-win month, Randle brought his A-game in the “Rivals Week” clash with 30 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, and two 3-pointers.