Julius Randle had just scored 31 points, his career-high in the playoffs.
He was a game removed from his first postseason triple-double.
After his team’s Game 4 win over the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night, Randle was asked about how he’s been able to finally shake his reputation as a player who fades during the playoffs. Much of the credit, Randle said, belongs to someone he last played with nine years ago: Lakers legend Kobe Bryant.
“I’ve battled through a lot in my career, to be honest. I mean, my first game in my career I broke my leg.