'He Carried Us': Knicks' Heartbreaker Spoils RJ Barrett's Mastery

A blue Christmas is usually music to the ears of New York Knicks fans. Alas, they learned the literal definition of it as Friday gives way to the holiday weekend.

Anyone who asked for RJ Barrett to rediscover his professional footing as he works off an early slump has had their Christmas wish fulfilled and then some: the Knicks' recent eight-game winning streak allowed for a bit of a Barrett showcase, averaging 21.8 points and six rebounds as the team placed itself among the six automatic Eastern Conference playoff teams at the Yuletide season landmark.

For Barrett, it was a welcome return to form after an offseason of speculation eventually gave way to a nine-figure contract extension that kicks in next season. He struggled to find his shooting touch but has since gotten back on track as the Knicks (18-15) look to get back to the postseason.

Another look at RJ Barrett's poster dunk 👀 pic.twitter.com/9gJxkF7Mvn
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 24, 2022

"He doesn't get rattled, he keeps forging ahead," a hopeful head coach Tom Thibodeau said after Barrett was the leading scorer at 27 in a 114-91 win in Chicago on Dec. 16, per Steve Popper of Newsday. "It's a good mindset to have. I think he'll get there. The more times he goes through it, he'll rev the engine up and be ready to go.”

Another showdown with the Bulls, this one at Madison Square Garden on Friday night, afforded Barrett his biggest opportunity to shine yet: he became the first Knick to reach 40 points this season, doing so in a 44-tally showing that fell just two short of his career-best. He became the first Knick to score 40 points on at least 70 percent shooting since Amar'e Stoudemire in 2011. The six three-pointer attempts he made without a miss (matching a feat he previously accomplished in April 2021) are also tied for second-best in Knicks history with Langston Galloway and Iman Shumpert and three behind Latrell Sprewell's mark set in February 2003.

Barrett's performance was enough to have MSG chant his name, showing particularly appreciate for a third quarter slam dunk over Nikola Vučević that drew an and-one opportunity. He later joined their cheers upon hitting what became his final basket of the night, a fadeaway over the outstretched arms of Zach LaVine. Asked what he said in his furious jubilation, Barrett cheekily smiled and declared "you don't want to know."

RJ Barrett hits a clutch bucket over Lavine for his 44th point, proclaims "I'm a bad motherf--ker!" pic.twitter.com/oACMeUNZTr
— hoops bot (@hoops_bot) December 24, 2022

Alas for Barrett and the Knicks, only heartbreak awaited on the other end: Chicago narrowed the gap with a LaVine layup before sending the often-reliable Jalen Brunson to the foul line. But a rare of misfires from the 89 percent foul shooter (half of a crucial quartet the Knicks missed from the foul line over the final 1:06) set the stage for DeMar DeRozan's heroics, as the veteran's jumper put the Bulls ahead with less than a second left.

The end of the Knicks' winning streak has given Barrett an opportunity to break out on the scoresheet: another narrow loss, Wednesday's showdown with the Toronto Raptors saw him put in 30. Numerical progress, however, means nothing to Barrett if it doesn't mean adding one to the win column.

"It’s not the same without the win,” said Barrett, per Greg Joyce of the New York Post. “Tonight, I had it going. It’s just frustrating to not get the win. I feel like we did enough things well to win that game, but we came up short.”

In the same report, Brunson took responsibility for Barrett's masterpiece going for naught.

“RJ being RJ,” Brunson said. “He was in attack mode for 48 minutes. He carried us, especially when we needed it, but we just got to close it out for him.”

The Knicks have no holiday off to dwell on it: they'll take their semi-regular spot in the NBA's annual Christmas Day festivities on Sunday when they face the Philadelphia 76ers (12 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN).

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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