Aggression from Randle in second half what team needs: Thibs

Julius Randle has not looked like the same difference-maker he was last season.

On Tuesday, he did not look like the same player in the first half as he was in the second.

Randle passed often and deferred — sometimes with a Knicks offense that appeared to be deferring to him — in a 3-for-9, six-point first half against the Warriors.

As the game got away in the second half, Randle reminded why the offense revolves around him. He rattled off 12 straight points in the third quarter, part of a 25-point second half in which he went 5-for-6 from deep and sought his shot.

“I just locked in and said I’m going to be aggressive,” Randle said after the 105-96 loss. “I think when I overthink, naturally I try to be unselfish and try to kind of think the game and get everybody going and stuff like that.

“But I just said I’m going to be aggressive and kind of let my instincts take over.”

In his breakout, All-Star campaign last season that led the Knicks to extend him for four years and $117 million, Randle averaged 18.6 shots per game. This season, in which his numbers are down across the board, the power forward is taking more than two fewer per game (16.4).

It is a tricky balance for a Knicks starting unit that has too often struggled to find the right pace and ball movement, and a more aggressive Randle likely would mean the ball sticks to his hands more.

“I think when he’s aggressive like that, it makes us better,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “I love to see him when he’s attacking the rim. It puts a lot of pressure on people, and it opens things up for us.”

Randle alluded to the Knicks being down a couple players — Quentin Grimes, RJ Barrett and Obi Toppin were in COVID-19 protocols — but perhaps hunting his shots more can help.

Something has to change, and particularly with Randle, who has “surpassed”

Kemba Walker as the worst plus-minus contributor on the team. When Randle is on the floor, the Knicks have been outscored by 129 points.

“This is what we all signed up for. We’ll see what happens,” Randle said Tuesday, before correcting himself. “Not ‘we’ll see what happens’ — we’re going to get it done. We’re going to figure it out.”

➤ Grimes, Barrett and Toppin were ruled out for the game in Houston on Thursday after entering the health and safety protocols. No additional Knicks were added to the protocols Wednesday.

Players must sit at least 10 days or require two negative tests 24 hours apart to resume playing.