RJ Barrett started the new season with fire, nailing his first nine shots from the ground, including three three-point attempts, in the Knicks ’initial loss to Indiana.
Tom Thibodeau’s team will return to that location on Saturday night and Barrett will try to rediscover that shot after his percentages have dropped dramatically in the more than four subsequent games.
The sophomore guard was barely the only culprit in Thursday’s 100-83 loss to Toronto in Tampa. The Knicks finished a miserable 3-on-36 from long range against the Raptors, including an NBA record in 23 straight fouls without any of the starting five.
Barrett, Duke’s 2019 draft pick No. 3 overall, has connected with just 26.3% (19 for 72) of the field since his explosive start on Dec. 23 against the Pacers. He has also rejected 21 consecutive attempts beyond the three-point arc.
In fact, Barrett (0 for 8) and small starting striker Reggie Bullock (0 for 9) became the first teammates in NBA history to go 0 for eight or worse from three points of the same game.
Barrett was not made available to the media after Thursday’s game, and the Knicks (2-3) did not practice or make anyone available on New Year’s Day before Saturday’s visit to Indiana.
Thibodeau had believed earlier in the week that Barrett “has been fantastic” and “played a global game” in consecutive wins against Milwaukee and Cleveland. Despite his poor shooting numbers, 20-year-old Barrett averages 15.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists in five games.
“He played well without throwing well. We know the shooting is approaching, “Thibodeau said on Wednesday. “He is doing a lot of things for us defensively, moving well without the ball. It is placed downhill.
“There is a lot of room to grow. He has been diligent with his work. Just having a wing to do the things he can do, his versatility is a great asset to the team and the willingness to play people. “
Thibodeau said after Thursday’s loss that he wanted to review the game’s film before commenting directly on Barrett’s and the team’s poor shooting game, especially since the Knicks entered the league lead in a percentage of 3 points (45.9%).
“I think when the teams play in the zone you will have a lot of open eyes, but we will look at it,” Thibodeau said. “It’s the right game. For me, it’s like getting the right game, getting the move, forcing the defense to collapse, kicking it out, and if one of your shooters is open, that’s all that happens.
“So if a guy is open, there’s no one less than five feet away, you’re going to have to shoot him.”
Even with his team shooting blank, Thibodeau noted that the Knicks led by seven points in the third quarter on Thursday – and were still three, with less than nine minutes to go in the fourth – due to their commitment. defensive. The Knicks have allowed 105.2 points per game, the fifth lowest in the NBA.
“You always think you can do better. [Toronto] did not shoot a large percentage. You keep a team like that up to 100 points, you should have a shot to win it, “Thibodeau said.” If we had done some of our three, we probably would have had a good chance of winning it.
“Our defense is something we have to keep working on: restraint on the ball, pressure on the ball. We are not perfect. I think if we make the effort, we want to, we press the ball and our weak side is conscious, we can cover ourselves [our] errors. “