After having a seven-game hot-streak, New York Knicks forward RJ Barrett has come down back to earth. He has averaged 17.3 points per game over the past three games, shooting 40.4 percent from the field on 15.7 shots per game. Barrett’s production during this stretch has declined 30.2 percent from the previous seven games.
Barret shot 47.4 percent from the field during a seven-game stretch from December 31st, 2021 to January 15th, 2022, on 19 shots per game. His field goal percentage led to him averaging 24.8 points per game in that seven-game stretch.
Why New York Knicks forward RJ Barrett has cooled off over the past three games
His statistical decline is related to him attacking the basket less over the past three games. Barrett is only averaging 12.7 drives per game – a 26 percent drop-off from the previous seven games.
Barrett spends most of his minutes as a three-point shooter when he is not attacking the basket. Barrett has taken six threes per game over the last three games – 38.2 percent of his shots. Unfortunately, he has been inconsistent from behind the arc throughout his career.
Throughout his collegiate and professional career, Barrett has only had one season where he has shot over 36 percent. He shot 40.1 percent during the 2020-21 season on 4.3 attempts per game.
Despite Barrett’s track record from behind the arc, the Knicks’ organization has decided to use him as a floor-spacer for most of the season. For instance, Barrett took 40.1 percent of his shots from three during his first 28 games of the season, averaging 5.3 per game.
If the organization wants to maximize Barrett’s offensive effectiveness., they need to put the ball in his hands. Barrett has been most effective in the restricted area throughout his collegiate and professional career.
Barrett made at least 53 percent of his shots in the restricted area during his lone collegiate season and his first two professional campaigns. He has continued to excel in this particular area this season as he is currently shooting 58.5 percent on 4.8 shots per game.
Unfortunately, due to the organization’s offensive structure, Barrett will most likely have to go to the bench to reach maximum effectiveness.
The Knicks are a team that currently runs an offensive system centered around pick and rolls, isolations, and post-ups. The New York Knicks currently run pick and rolls 20.4 percent of the time, as they are seventh in the league in this play type, averaging 21.9 possessions per game.
Barrett has only accounted for 21 percent of those possessions, averaging 4.6 per game. Barrett’s lack of pick-and-roll possessions is not ideal. When wing players are not a pick and roll ball handler, they are usually in the role of floor-spacer.
When the team is not running the pick and roll, they are either running an isolation or a post-up. The Knicks are currently sixth in the league in isolations, averaging nine per game. They are also 21st in the league in post-ups, averaging 3.9 per game.
Why the Knicks should remove RJ Barrett from the starting lineup and insert Quentin Grimes
Unfortunately, Barrett is involved in less than 13 percent of those possessions, which means that he is in the role of floor-spacer. The Knicks’ decision to use Barrett primarily as a floor-spacer has negatively impacted the team.
For example, the team’s starting lineup only shot 42 percent from the field during his first 28 games of the season, with Barrett on the court on 34.4 shots per game. The lack of offensive production led them to get outscored by 4.3 points per game in the 18.6 minutes.
Therefore, the organization should consider moving him to the bench and putting Quentin Grimes in the starting lineup, as he has a better track record as a floor-spacer. Grimes made 36.6 percent of his shots from behind the arc in three college seasons on 5.6 attempts per game.
He has continued to succeed behind the arc during his rookie season as a professional, shooting 39.4 percent on 3.5 attempts per game. Grimes shooting ability has led the starting lineup to perform better with him (in limited opportunities).
They have shot 43.3 percent from the field on 15 shots per game. The increased efficiency has led them to outscore opponents by one point per game in 8.8 minutes. In conclusion, Quentin Grimes would be a better fit for the starting lineup due to his shooting ability.