Josh Robbins: Final: Knicks 91, Magic 84 Barrett: 22 pts., 10 rebs., 4 assts., 1 block Gordon: 18 pts., 17 rebs., 9 assts., 2 blocks Vucevic: 24 pts., 14 pts., 2 blocks
RJ Barrett Rumors
All NBA Players
Position: G
Born: 06/14/00
Height: 6-6 / 1.98
Weight:202 lbs. / 91.6 kg.
Salary: $8,231,760
Born: 06/14/00
Height: 6-6 / 1.98
Weight:202 lbs. / 91.6 kg.
Salary: $8,231,760
Mike Vorkunov: Thunder 101 Knicks 89 Knicks 5-4 on the season. NYK’s 3-game winning streak ends. Julius Randle with 18pts/12reb/7ast after a scoreless first half. RJ Barrett with 19 pts + 7 reb. But the Knicks shoot 36% from the field. SGA with 25pts/10reb/7ast and Hamidou Diallo with 23 + 11
Barrett’s emergence for the 5-3 Knicks (no, seriously: The 5-3 Knicks!) hasn’t been quite as profound as that of the two players taken after him, but Knicks fans can certainly feel a bit better about the third overall pick in 2019 based on early results. First, the bad news: He still can’t shoot. Barrett is 8-for-37 on 3s thus far, and only some of those misses found their way to the rim. Combined with his lack of superior explosion around the basket, it makes his ceiling as a scorer look lower than we thought on draft day. Barrett is a 57 percent shooter at the rim — not great for a slasher — and this finish Wednesday against Derrick Favors is a great example of why. He doesn’t change pace or change direction enough to offset his initial disadvantage, and as a result, he gets completely swallowed up.
Ian Begley: RJ Barrett spent extra time shooting the past 3 days. Think he shot for an hour after Thursday’s game (not 2, as previous tweet said). RJ’s not worried about his shooting. Feels like he will get back in rhythm. “I’m sure I’ll be good.” Barrett was 0-8 from beyond the arc vs. TOR.
Barrett, the No. 3-overall pick in the 2019 draft out of Duke, has connected on just 19 of 72 shots from the field (26.3 percent) since his sizzling start in the opener. He also has clanked 21 consecutive attempts from beyond the 3-point arc. Against Toronto in fact, Barrett (0-for-8) and starting small forward Reggie Bullock (0-for-9) became the first teammates in NBA history to each go 0-for-8 or worse from 3-point range in the same game.
Despite his poor shooting numbers, the 20-year-old Barrett is averaging 15.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists through five games. “He’s played well without shooting well. We know the shooting is coming,” Thibodeau said Wednesday. “He’s doing a lot of things for us defensively, moving well without the ball. He’s getting downhill. “There’s a lot of room for him to grow. He’s been diligent with his work. Just having a wing to do things he can do, his versatility is a big asset for the team and willingness to make plays for people.”
Justin Kubatko: The Knicks’ starters went a combined 0-23 from 3-point range last night. That’s the most 3PA in NBA history by a starting five without a make. Reggie Bullock (0-9) and RJ Barrett (0-8) became the first teammates in NBA history with 7+ 3PA and 0 3PM in the same game. pic.twitter.com/prr9aOGNBt
