As the New York Knicks get set for Game 2 against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, they will do so trailing 1-0 in the series. That's because Trae Young went into clutch mode hitting a game-winner with 0.9 seconds left to lift the Hawks over the Knicks, 107-105.
But fear not Knicks fans, this isn't a New York team that is going to just roll over. Time and time again this year they have been able to flip the script when it seemed like doom and gloom was on the horizon. This time around, it's RJ Barrett who holds the key to success in the series against the Hawks.
Barrett's improvements form Year 1 to Year 2 were seen very clearly in his shooting.
The Knicks' former No. 3 overall pick went from 32% from 3-point land in 2019 to 40% this year. Barrett has gone from 61% at the free-throw line his rookie season to 74% this year as well. As a result of both, his points per game went up from 14.3 to 17.6.
Julius Randle's struggles in Game 1 were largely noted as the Knicks All-Star shot just 6-23 from the field in a wildly underwhelming performance. Yet, New York lost by just two. But the expectation for Randle is that he will get his going forward and will figure it out. The one-game sample size of his not-so-great play isn't a sign of things to come.
This brings it back to RJ Barrett.
Barrett shot just 1-6 from 3-point range in Game 1. He vastly improved his consistency from beyond the arc this year but still had spurts where he reverted back to struggling. The Knicks need him to be the 40% shooter who was knocking down corner 3 after corner 3 for much of the second half of the season.
On the other side of the court, his defense has been great. Barrett plays with such a quiet confidence overall that it's easy to miss some of the lockdown defense he brings to the table because he isn't slamming his chest or screaming after he makes plays.
Trae Young did his thing in Game 1, going for 32 points and the dagger. The idea of putting the larger Barrett on Young could cause havoc for the Hawks' backcourt. It's certainly a plausible option as the Knicks will look to tinker and adjust things after the Game 1 defeat.
Young had no problems getting to the paint at will while working off the pick-and-roll. That needs to change for New York quickly, and one option could be Barrett.
Derrick Rose and Julius Randle are two guys who you know what you're going to get most nights with them. RJ Barrett has the ceiling to help take over a series. Because of that, he holds the key to success for New York. It's the unknown with Barrett of how high he can elevate his game this postseason that leaves plenty of meat on the bone for the Knicks.
If he's hitting his corner triples and clamping down on the defensive end, it makes all the difference for New York. If he can piece together consistent outings the rest of the series, knowing what the Knicks will get from Randle, it bodes well for their chances to advance.
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