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New York Knicks: RJ Barrett’s 5 most important games so far

By Maxwell Ogden

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 10: RJ Barrett #9 of the New York Knicks warms up before playing against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on March 10, 2020 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 10: RJ Barrett #9 of the New York Knicks warms up before playing against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on March 10, 2020 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 10: RJ Barrett #9 of the New York Knicks warms up before playing against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on March 10, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 10: RJ Barrett #9 of the New York Knicks warms up before playing against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena on March 10, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

New York Knicks guard RJ Barrett has pieced together a rookie season of two halves. We take a look at his most important games thus far.

When the New York Knicks selected RJ Barrett at No. 3 overall in the 2019 NBA Draft, a general sense of optimism arose. Ja Morant and Zion Williamson were the prized prospects, but the consensus appeared to be that Barrett would be a respected NBA player.

Barrett has justified the hype during the 2019-20 season, playing at a level that should land him a spot on the All-Rookie First Team at year’s end.

It’s been the proverbial tale of two halves for Barrett—and, in many ways, a literal one, too. Over the course of his first 28 appearances, Barrett averaged 13.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.0 three-point field goal made on a slash line of .389/.295/.543.

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In the 28 appearances that have since followed, Barrett has averaged 14.9 points on a drastically-improved slash line of .415/.343/.688.

Those averages are helped immensely by Barrett’s intriguing quality of play after the All-Star Break. Since All-Star Weekend, Barrett has managed to average 17.2 points on 45.2 percent shooting from the field.

He’s done so in just 30.2 minutes per game, which makes his ability to flirt with 20-point outings on a regular basis all the more impressive. It also may warrant the hype that he’s received as a future franchise cornerstone.

The question is: If the 2019-20 regular season were to end today, what would stand the test of time as the definitive performances from RJ Barrett during his rookie season with the New York Knicks?

It’s quite a list.

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