After shooting out the lights on the opening night of the season, RJ Barrett faced some tough times, the second of which coincided with the middle of a losing streak.
But despite the Knicks having their three-game winning streak against the Kings in Sacramento, California Friday night, Barrett has rediscovered his touch and made a big impact in the process.
“We just try to work hard and grind every day,” said Barrett after scoring 28 career points on 10-for-17 shots in Thursday’s win over the Warriors. That’s really what we’re trying to do. We are really focused. We have done everything we can and we will continue to do so throughout the season. “
In Friday’s 103-94 defeat to the Kings, Barrett had 21 points on 8-for-17 shots – including 2-for-2 of 3. In his last five games starting Friday, Barrett had averaged 21.8 points – shooting at 51.4 percent and 38.9 percent from deep-to-go with 6.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists. In the 10 games for that stretch, he shot just 33.1 percent from the floor and 12.8 percent from outside the arc – numbers bolstered by two games in the center where the left wing got equally warm and 18 out of 34 from the floor shot. and 5-out-10 of three.
“I think RJ has played very well about I would say, like the last five or six games, playing at a very high level,” said coach Tom Thibodeau. “He started the season where he had a big opening night and I think the teams got behind him pretty well. But he adapts and even during the part where he didn’t shoot particularly well, he bounced back great and played.
Frank Ntilikina missed his 13th consecutive game since suffering a sprained right knee on December 29. Austin Rivers was also out for a second consecutive night with painful right Achilles. … Sunday’s game in Portland has switched from 9:00 PM Eastern Time to 10:00 PM
– additional reporting by Peter Botte