The New York Knicks won their 3rd straight game on Sunday night, easily defeating the Detroit Pistons. The team gets a road win on the 2nd game of a back-to-back, and just like that, the Knicks are a game over .500 and 4th in the Eastern Conference.
The Knicks’ defense clamped down heavily on the Pistons, holding them to just 38% from the field on the night. The game was all about over just a few minutes into the 4th quarter, and it was an assertive win that the Knicks have to feel good about. Julius Randle and RJ Barrett led the way for the team Randle finished with 25 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists while Barrett finished with 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists.
There is a lot to be excited about with the Knicks right now. So many players have been playing tremendous basketball within their role. Of course, a team can only go as far as their best players will take them, and right now, the tandem of Randle and Barrett is leading the charge.
Knicks: Julius Randle and RJ Barrett’s impact is felt all over the court
What Randle and Barrett both have in common is that they are intense on both sides of the ball. They are looked up to as the leaders on this team, and they leave their mark on both defense and offense.
Barrett’s defense has come a long way since last season. From Cleaning the Glass, Barrett ranked in just the 9th percentile in his opponent’s effective field goal percentage. This season Barrett has climbed all the way into the 71st percentile. He’s been one of the league’s better defensive wings.
Sure, Barrett and Randle played together last season, but they’ve had new energy under coach Tom Thibodeau. No matter how you slice it, the expectation for Barrett, a 3rd overall pick, was to come into the league right away and be a franchise player. He looks poised to become exactly that.
Many people are saying the RJ Barrett corner 3 is the best shot in basketball.
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) March 1, 2021
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The Knicks certainly have other options that can get you an instant bucket when they need it. Derrick Rose, Immanuel Quickley, and even Alec Burks have shown the ability to convert difficult shots when the offense collapses. Simply having secondary scorers who take a lot of the responsibility and pressure off of your main ball-handlers. Randle and Barrett are looking comfortable, which is certainly something we couldn’t say last season.
Randle and Barrett both specialize in attacking the rim with their strength – they establish the physical, hard-in-the-paint style of basketball that the Knicks want to establish every game. They embody the Tom Thibodeau spirit.
What stands out now is that they are both so much more than that. Randle is the clear go-to option, but they’ve both become players you can trust with the ball in their hands. They can both find their spots on the floor, but that doesn’t just mean hitting shots, it means making the right play – They are strong passers for their positions.
Julius Randle has been the alpha dog on this team all season long, but with RJ Barrett’s emergence, the Knicks’ top guns are looking to take this team to even greater heights.