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RJ Barrett started the new season on fire, hitting his first nine shots from the ground, including his three three-pointers, in the Knicks’ first loss to Indiana.
Tom Thibodeau’s side will return to that area on Saturday night, and Barrett will be looking to rediscover that shooting touch after his percentages collapse dramatically in the four-plus games thereafter.
The second-year goaltender was barely the only failed culprit in Thursday’s 100-83 loss to Toronto in Tampa. The Knicks completed a miserable 3-for-36 long-distance game against the Raptors, including an NBA record of 23 straight misses without a made by starting five.
Barrett, the No.3 pick in Duke’s 2019 draft, has connected just 26.3% (19 in 72) of the pitch since his dazzling start on Dec. 23 against the Pacers. He also clicked 21 consecutive attempts from beyond the three-point arc.
In fact, Barrett (0 for 8) and small starting forward Reggie Bullock (0 for 9) became the first teammates in NBA history to each reach 0 for 8 or worse from three points in 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 Years before Saturday’s visit to Indiana.
Thibodeau had gushed earlier in the week that Barrett “had been great” and “played a full game” in back-to-back wins over Milwaukee and Cleveland. Despite his poor shooting numbers, Barrett, 20, averages 15.4 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists in five games.
“He played well without shooting well. We know the shoot is approaching, ”Thibodeau said Wednesday. “He does a lot of things for us defensively, moving well without the ball. He’s going downstairs.
“There is still plenty of room for him to grow. He was diligent in his work. Just having a wing to do things he can do, his versatility is a big plus for the team and his willingness to make plays for people.
Thibodeau said after Thursday’s loss that he wanted to see the movie of the game again before commenting directly on Barrett and the team’s poor shooting game, especially as the Knicks entered the league with a percentage of 3 points (45.9%).
“I think when the teams play in the zone you’ll have a lot of open eyes, but we’re going to take a look,” said Thibodeau. “It’s the right play. To me, it’s like you get the right play, if you get the movement, if you force the defense to crumble, you kick it out, and if one of your shooters is open, that’s all I go through.
“So if a guy is wide open, there’s nobody within five feet, you have to shoot him.”
Even with his team firing blank, Thibodeau noted that the Knicks were leading by seven points in Thursday’s third quarter – and they were still within three with less than nine minutes left in the fourth – due to their defensive commitment. The Knicks allowed 105.2 points per game, the fifth lowest in the NBA.
“You always think you can do better. [Toronto] didn’t shoot a big percentage. You hold a team like that at 100 points, you should have a shot to win it, ”said Thibodeau. “If we had done some of our lines, we probably would have had a good chance of winning.
“Our defense is something we have to keep working on – ball control, ball pressure. We are not perfect. I think if we put in the effort, we fly, put pressure on the ball and our weak side is aware we can cover [our] errors. “
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