The New York Knicks’ resurgence is fueled by the franchise’s first All-Star since 2018. After earning that honor a couple weeks ago, Julius Randle continues to prove neither he nor his team are a fluke.

The 6-foot-8 big man continued to show his dominant versatility in New York’s 94-93 win against Orlando on Thursday, dishing out a career-high 17 assists to go with 18 points and 10 rebounds. The effort marked his third triple-double of the season, the most by a Knicks player since Michael Ray Richardson in 1981-82.

Julius Randle’s 14 assists are the most by a Knicks starting forward/center since starters were tracked in 1970-71. Bernard King had 13 on March 9, 1985 against Philadelphia. @EliasSports

— NY_KnicksPR (@NY_KnicksPR) March 19, 2021

Julius Randle is the first Knick to record at least three triple doubles in a season since Micheal Ray Richardson recorded seven in 1981-82.

— NY_KnicksPR (@NY_KnicksPR) March 19, 2021

Randle’s 17 assists are also the most by a Knicks player since Raymond Felton in 2010, and the most by any Knicks big man in franchise history. The previous record by a starting forward or center for New York was 13 assists by Hall of Famer Bernard King in a 1985 game against Philadelphia.

Thursday’s victory pushes the Knicks (21-21) back to .500, good for a tie with idle Boston for seventh place in the Eastern Conference. Teams placing seventh through 10th in their respective conferences at season’s end will take part in the NBA Play-In Tournament that will determine the final two playoff spots on each side of the postseason bracket.

“We just said we need to win the game by any means necessary and that’s what we did. Guys stepped up and I’m proud of our team.” — @J30_RANDLE

📺: @MSGNetworks pic.twitter.com/KeCL7wpN6E

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) March 19, 2021