NBA

Opportunity knocks for Knicks’ Randolph

Anthony Randolph has had an up-and-down first two years of his career.

On one hand, he averaged 11.6 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in just under 23 minutes per game for Golden State last season. On the other, he also had repeated run-ins with coach Don Nelson, and has played only 96 games over his first two seasons because of various injuries, including an injured left ankle that limited him to 33 games last season.

But after being acquired by the Knicks earlier this month as part of David Lee’s sign-and-trade, Randolph says there are no more excuses if he fails to reach his vast potential.

“It’s all on me right now,” Randolph said yesterday at the Knicks’ Summer Basketball Camp at Pace University-Pleasantville. “If I don’t succeed, it’s my fault. It’s not on anybody else. The head coach is gonna give me a chance to show what I can do, and if I don’t capitalize on it, it’s nobody’s fault but mine.”

Randolph thought he would have that chance two years ago, when he declared for the draft after his freshman year at LSU. After working out for the Knicks leading up to the draft, the 6-foot-10 power forward thought that he would be taken by them.

Instead, the Knicks chose to take Danilo Gallinari, and the Warriors snapped up Randolph with the 14th selection.

“If you ask anybody that knows me, the night of the draft I was a little upset that I wasn’t drafted by them,” Randolph said. “I thought I was gonna be here. I thought this was the perfect place for me. But everything happens for a reason. God has a plan, and it worked out perfectly.”

Part of the reason Randolph is excited about the chance to play for the Knicks is the opportunity in Mike D’Antoni’s free-wheeling, speedball offense. After clashing with Nelson about his role in Golden State, he is looking forward to the freedom D’Antoni’s system provides.

“He allows his players to play,” Randolph said. “In Golden State, it was kind of a situation where we want you rebound. That’s it. Don’t do nothing else [but] rebound.

“God’s given me a natural ability to handle the ball a little bit. I can move, and that allows you to be put in different positions, and I think I’ll be allowed to do that.”

tbontemps@nypost.com