The New York Knicks fell to the Toronto Raptors on Monday evening, but third gear guard RJ Barrett had another stellar performance. Barrett, who has put together three consecutive elite outings is becoming the focal point for the Knicks’ offense, posting 27 points in the defeat.
After starting out the year slow, Barrett indicated that he often picks up steam as the season progresses. However, his performance against the Raptors wasn’t enough to push them over the edge, indicating their opponents simply wanted it more.
“I think they just played harder than us, honestly.”
Head coach Tom Thibodeau stated last week that he believes Barrett is capable of being a premium talent, and his last few performances have indicated he has all the intangible traits.
“He’s an elite talent. When you look at the intangibles…. his toughness, basketball IQ, competitiveness, his work ethic… those guys always get better.”
Taking a look at his last three games, his statistics will simply blow your mind — this is the player the Knicks were waiting for.
Game 5 Vs Chicago: 20 points, 1 assist, 1 steal, 3 rebounds, 53% from the field, 33% from 3-PT
Game 6 Vs NO: 35 points, 6 assists, 8 rebounds, 66.7% from the field, 75% from 3-PT
Game 7 Vs Toronto: 27 points, 1 steal, 6 rebounds, 69% from the field, 62% from 3-PT
Average stats over past three games: 27 points, 2.6 assists, 5.6 rebounds, 62.9% from the field, 56.6% from 3-PT range
Surprisingly, Barrett has emerged as the Knicks’ most lethal scorer the past few games, currently ranking second on the team in average points per game, behind Julius Randle, who has 21. If he can play consistent defense and continue his offensive emergence, the Knicks will be forced to continue utilizing his hot hand and leaning on him for support.
Despite the team shooting 42% from three-point range on Monday, they were unable to emerge victorious against Toronto, giving up 13 offensive rebounds. As Barrett stated, the Raptors out-hustled the Knicks, but the Canadian-born guard gave it his all.