NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
The New York Knicks are rolling on the offensive side as they rank 4th in the NBA in points scored. With Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson carrying the road, the Knicks can score on just about anyone. However, what they’re waiting for is RJ Barrett to find his shot. On the year, he’s averaging 17.7 points per game compared to the 20.0 he averaged last season.
Is the addition of Brunson the cause for the slippage? No. A look across the board will see that he’s still averaging the same amount of attempts per game. But where he has fallen just a tad is his free-throw attempts. Last season, he averaged 5.6; this season, he’s at 4.0.
Barrett is averaging the same amount of attempts, it’s that he’s just not knocking them down. In 2021, he shot .342 from deep. This season, he’s hitting just .219 percent from deep. Now, the New York Knicks are still scoring but just imagine how dangerous that could be if Barrett were making those shots. In time, it will come. He’s going through a slight slump at the moment but in the process, the Knicks are not struggling as a team. Sitting at 3-3 is not the best but it’s also not the end of the world either.
Should The New York Knicks Be Worried About RJ Barrett?
Randle is back to his All-Star form and Brunson has been exactly what the Knicks paid for this offseason. Now, it’s just a matter of Barrett finding his shot. Think about this. Despite his abysmal shooting from deep, Barrett is still averaging 17 points per game to go along with 2.2 assists and 5.8 rebounds. He’s doing what’s necessary for his team to win and that’s what’s important.
But a hot shooting Barrett to go along with Brunson and Randle will have the Knicks easily on top of the Eastern Conference with the way teams have been struggling to start the season. It’s not as if the open looks aren’t there. Barrett is crafty in creating his own shot. Nothing to do with confidence either. For some players, the lid on the basket is just tighter.
RJ Barrett just has to stay focused and continue doing what he’s been doing. The shots will fall. His teammates will continue to look his way and once he finds his groove, the New York Knicks will take off. Adding Brunson was a great move. In all fairness, he’s a better fit for the team than Donovan Mitchell.
Brunson is averaging 7.2 assists, and that’s something he didn’t accomplish while running with Luka Doncic in Dallas. His previous high was 4.8 last season. So, when RJ Barrett gets right, the team as a whole will also improve.
