NBA Playoffs: 3 X-Factor Knicks that could surprise us, 2 that could fall flat
RJ Barrett’s play this season has fans worried about the playoffs
Entering his fourth year playing alongside Brunson and Randle, it seemed like RJ Barrett was finally primed to have the breakout season fans have been expecting out of him. However, fans have gotten quite the opposite of that.
Barrett may not be playing necessarily worse than last season, but the lack of consistency he’s displayed has fans extremely concerned about the playoffs, especially against a team like the Cavaliers.
Through 71 games this season, Barrett has averaged 19.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists while shooting 43.3% from the field and 31.7% from deep on 5.3 attempts. In addition to this, his defense has taken a bit of a step back compared to prior seasons.
This sort of inconsistency is what kills teams in the playoffs and is something the Knicks cannot afford to deal with against the Cavaliers. Alongside this, Barrett’s previous playoff performance makes it even more difficult to believe in him.
While there are plenty of offensive weapons on the Knicks who could mitigate Barrett’s struggles, the Knicks will still be in pretty rough shape if he doesn’t turn his level of play around before their playoff matchup.
