Knicks Young Core Showing Promising Progress

RJ Barrett has scored a total of 147 points off drives in 2022, which ranks fifth in the NBA, behind only Ja Morant, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic and De'Aaron Fox.

Game Recap: Knicks fall to the Cavs, 95-93

The Knicks lost a close game in Cleveland Monday night, dropping NY two games below .500. New York is still just a half-game back of the 10th-seeded Wizards and only one game behind the Celtics and Raptors, who are tied for 8th in the East. (However, the Knicks' upcoming schedule is bear - but more on that later.)

We've talked in-depth about the struggles of Julius Randle and recently, so, despite the dispiriting loss to the Cavs, I thought it was worth taking some time to accentuate some positives.

Let's start with RJ Barrett, who poured in 24 points (on 9-of-16 shooting) to go along with five rebounds, four assists (vs. just one turnover) and two steals vs. Cleveland. Dating back to New Year's Eve, Barrett is averaging 23.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.2 treys, while shooting 45.6% from the floor and over 39% from downtown. That's a 13-game sample size, which is by no means insignificant.

To put those all-around numbers in context, consider this: Only two players have tallied more than 300 points, 75 rebounds, 50 made free throws and 25 made three-pointers since the end of December. One is LeBron James. The other is RJ Barrett.

The key to unlocking Barrett's success since his return from Covid protocols last month has been his relentless attacks at the tin. Barrett is averaging more than 15 drives per game during this recent stretch, and 73.9% of all the points he's scored inside the arc resulted from drives to the basket. Not only is that highest among all Knicks, but it's also nearly double every other player on the team (Randle ranks second at 8.5 drives per game). 

RJ has scored a total of 147 points off drives in 2022, which ranks fifth in the entire league, behind only Ja Morant, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic and De'Aaron Fox (and ahead of stars such as Giannis Antetokounmpo and Trae Young).

The one aspect of his game currently holding Barrett back is his struggles at the free-throw line. Since Christmas, he has shot below 65% from the charity stripe, converting just 60 of his 93 attempts. Barrett's doing a great job getting to the line due to his penetration, but if he wants to establish himself as a reliably elite scorer, he can't leave free points on the table each night. 

Still, one of the things that Knicks fans have loved most about Barrett since he arrived in New York was the kid's poise and professionalism, which were surprising considering he was thrust into the heart of the NYC pressure-cooker as a teenager. 

Speaking with reporters after Monday's loss, Barrett didn't try to dodge responsibility. "That's the game right there," Barrett said when asked about his team converting just 11 of their 21 free-throw attempts. "That's 10 points, and we lose by two. It's frustrating, especially for myself. You get there so many times; you got to be able to capitalize. You can't play a team like that and miss that many free throws. It's three of the last four games. Got to fix that."

“I can’t be out there just letting the team down,” Barrett declared.

Barrett also said all the right things after New York's victory over the Clippers Sunday afternoon. Following a stellar performance, in which he racked up 28 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists, RJ insisted he wasn't content. 

"I don't feel like I've done anything so far; that's my mindset," Barrett declared in his postgame interview. "I'm always hungry. I'm hungry for more. I want more, for the team but for myself as well. I think if I continue to be aggressive … anything's possible. I want to continue to be able to make plays like I did today, score and defend and rebound, really do it all out there on the court for the team and kinda be the guy that does whatever the team needs." 

photo credit to @davidfuternick

Much like Barrett, rookie Quentin Grimes has exuded remarkable self-confidence since he first set foot on the floor. 

Grimes scored 12 points Monday, knocking down four three-pointers on six attempts. He also provided his usual brand of aggressive defense. The youngster out of Houston has the look of a player with the potential to develop into a high-quality 3-and-D wing. Those dudes are invaluable in today's NBA.