3 Terrifying realities opposing teams have to recognize with the Knicks
NY Knicks: RJ Barrett’s Defense will give you Goosebumps
RJ Barrett’s improvement from year 1 to year 2 was an adrenaline rush and one of the most encouraging things we witnessed last season. His shooting went from subpar to efficient and he was able to establish himself as a legitimate 2nd option for Julius Randle while he also stayed healthy playing in all 72 games last season.
Going into 2021-2022, it would be pretty logical to argue that the next step for Barrett would be a significant improvement on the defensive end of the floor. In a New York Post article a few days back, Barrett said he wants to be 1st team all defense at the end of the season. He is definitely playing up to that standard thus far.
RJ’s scream-worthy defensive highlights of the season thus far include forcing Jayson Tatum to shoot 7-30 from the field in 44 minutes as well as locking up DeMar DeRozan on defense to earn the victory for the Knicks this past Thursday night against the Bulls. Last season, Reggie Bullock was the man Thibs would rely on to guard the other team’s best player.
While a lot of fans (including myself) are much more satisfied with Fournier in the starting 5 it cannot be denied that Bullock’s defensive presence, especially along the perimeter, will be deeply missed.
If RJ has truly evolved to take on this role and then some, Knick opponents are going to have a tough time sleeping at night prior to playing them. At this point in his career, you can rely on the swingman to put up 20 points from night to night but it’s the defense he’s displayed this season; consider it a treat and not a trick.