Official RJ Barrett Thread

[CazOnReal]

I really prefer Mississauga Mamba to Maple but that's just me.

I think DeMar said he wants to work with RJ in the offseason and I cannot think of a better person to help him work on his midrange. The 3-point shooting? Not so much but I digress.

[dTox]

I really prefer Mississauga Mamba to Maple but that's just me.

I think DeMar said he wants to work with RJ in the offseason and I cannot think of a better person to help him work on his midrange. The 3-point shooting? Not so much but I digress.

I wasn't aware, was this during a recent interview?

[ConSarnit]

Barnes is not a 1. Barrett has more tools to be a 1.

I'm sorry but what tools does RJ have to be a 1? I can't think of anything he does that is elite

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His body control, his footwork and his ability to generate scoring opportunities in the paint as well as drawing fouls. He doesn’t have a jumper and has Been consistently scoring 20 ppt since he’s gotten here without one. I’d say that takes an elite level skill to do that consistently and efficiently.

Again people need to watch how guys play. It goes beyond numbers. Compare how rj navigates his way in the paint to og for example. Those are skills that allows him to do what he does. Same with siakam. People used to say he only finished against smaller defenders and could only score on the post like it was a bad thing? Huh last I checked Shaq is one of the greatest of al time simply by being a dominant post presence. It’s weird to me how people still can’t appreciate or understand how much skills one has when they’re constantly watching unskilled players try to do similar things and fail.

The reason people are questioning it is sample size. It’s been 13 games. His 3pt% is already regressing (25% over the last 9 games) and he’s been shooting way above his career averages from everywhere on the floor.

If he can keep it up that’s great for us but it’s not wrong to have some level of skepticism given RJ’s history. He’s not going to keep scoring at 70%+ around the rim (I hope he does).

[GoRapstheoriginal]

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nba/article/raptors-barrett-doubtful-vs-hawks-with-knee-swelling-quickley-out/

[MainEvent]

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nba/article/raptors-barrett-doubtful-vs-hawks-with-knee-swelling-quickley-out/

lets go, time to start Temple and Thad!

[Thaddy]

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nba/article/raptors-barrett-doubtful-vs-hawks-with-knee-swelling-quickley-out/

lets go, time to start Temple and Thad!

I'd give Gradey a ton of minutes and the green light to put up 10+ 3s with even the slightest opening.

[CazOnReal]

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nba/article/raptors-barrett-doubtful-vs-hawks-with-knee-swelling-quickley-out/

lets go, time to start Temple and Thad!

I'd give Gradey a ton of minutes and the green light to put up 10+ 3s with even the slightest opening.

Let Dick get to that rim and bust some shots from afar.

[OakleyDokely]

RJ's numbers in TO are insane.

34.4 MIN, 21.1 PPG, 7.1 REB, 3.5 AST, .551 FG, .364 3PT, .649 FT, .618 TS, 23.7 USG

This has to be the best 14 game stretch of his career and if it's not, it's gotta be pretty close. Everyone keeps waiting for the efficiency drop and he just keeps dropping 9/16 type games.

[Raps in 4]

RJ's numbers in TO are insane.

34.4 MIN, 21.1 PPG, 7.1 REB, 3.5 AST, .551 FG, .364 3PT, .649 FT, .618 TS, 23.7 USG

This has to be the best 14 game stretch of his career and if it's not, it's gotta be pretty close. Everyone keeps waiting for the efficiency drop and he just keeps dropping 9/16 type games.

As long as he doesn't start chucking from the mid-range, it shouldn't drop much. Whether or not we can keep him reined in long-term is a mystery, but so far so good.

[raptorforlife88]

RJ's numbers in TO are insane.

34.4 MIN, 21.1 PPG, 7.1 REB, 3.5 AST, .551 FG, .364 3PT, .649 FT, .618 TS, 23.7 USG

This has to be the best 14 game stretch of his career and if it's not, it's gotta be pretty close. Everyone keeps waiting for the efficiency drop and he just keeps dropping 9/16 type games.

I went through his monthly splits for his entire career and he's never actually had a stretch like this.

He's genuinely taking very different shots with the Raptors. No mid-range, more at the net, less above the break threes. He's rebounding more which I've been impressed with his and his passing has been a bit better to. He's basically been an entirely different player.

If he shoots a bit worse, but his free throws go back to his rate earlier this year than we've got a really really solid player who is worth the contract.

I thought he would be an an anchor contract, and he's been the opposite. Our most consistent player over that stretch and he does not try to dominate the ball.

[Scase]

RJ's numbers in TO are insane.

34.4 MIN, 21.1 PPG, 7.1 REB, 3.5 AST, .551 FG, .364 3PT, .649 FT, .618 TS, 23.7 USG

This has to be the best 14 game stretch of his career and if it's not, it's gotta be pretty close. Everyone keeps waiting for the efficiency drop and he just keeps dropping 9/16 type games.

I'm super surprised by it and hope he keeps it up, but I can't shake the feeling of his stats not moving the needle for the team. Maybe it's just cause we are going to be losing games no matter what, for a while.

[Rapsfan07]

RJ's numbers in TO are insane.

34.4 MIN, 21.1 PPG, 7.1 REB, 3.5 AST, .551 FG, .364 3PT, .649 FT, .618 TS, 23.7 USG

This has to be the best 14 game stretch of his career and if it's not, it's gotta be pretty close. Everyone keeps waiting for the efficiency drop and he just keeps dropping 9/16 type games.

I'm super surprised by it and hope he keeps it up, but I can't shake the feeling of his stats not moving the needle for the team. Maybe it's just cause we are going to be losing games no matter what, for a while.

I've felt the same way and I'm not sure why. Like you said, maybe it's because we're losing (and probably will be for the foreseeable future) but it just seems to me that... Idk.

[billy_hoyle]

RJ's numbers in TO are insane.

34.4 MIN, 21.1 PPG, 7.1 REB, 3.5 AST, .551 FG, .364 3PT, .649 FT, .618 TS, 23.7 USG

This has to be the best 14 game stretch of his career and if it's not, it's gotta be pretty close. Everyone keeps waiting for the efficiency drop and he just keeps dropping 9/16 type games.

I'm super surprised by it and hope he keeps it up, but I can't shake the feeling of his stats not moving the needle for the team. Maybe it's just cause we are going to be losing games no matter what, for a while.

I've felt the same way and I'm not sure why. Like you said, maybe it's because we're losing (and probably will be for the foreseeable future) but it just seems to me that... Idk.

That's what it feels like... until you start winning again.

Same thing with Booker and all the other guys that were deemed empty stat losers. There's a tipping point when the 'team' becomes good enough to consistently leverage the discreet components (an efficient 20pt 7reb SG). Hopefully we get some high-end talent out of this draft and cap space, and then start building back up towards winning relatively soon.

[TeamDisgruntled]

RJ's numbers in TO are insane.

34.4 MIN, 21.1 PPG, 7.1 REB, 3.5 AST, .551 FG, .364 3PT, .649 FT, .618 TS, 23.7 USG

This has to be the best 14 game stretch of his career and if it's not, it's gotta be pretty close. Everyone keeps waiting for the efficiency drop and he just keeps dropping 9/16 type games.

I'm super surprised by it and hope he keeps it up, but I can't shake the feeling of his stats not moving the needle for the team. Maybe it's just cause we are going to be losing games no matter what, for a while.

I've felt the same way and I'm not sure why. Like you said, maybe it's because we're losing (and probably will be for the foreseeable future) but it just seems to me that... Idk.

If you ignore the Houston game, this team of Yak, Scottie, Rj, Gary, IQ and Dennis has been right there with every team we’ve played, and we’ve played some good teams with that unit healthy. RJs defence isn’t great but ppl r way too quick to be calling Barrett empty calories already, correlating a depleted roster to RJ not effecting outcomes isn’t the move.

[OakleyDokely]

I'm super surprised by it and hope he keeps it up, but I can't shake the feeling of his stats not moving the needle for the team. Maybe it's just cause we are going to be losing games no matter what, for a while.

I've felt the same way and I'm not sure why. Like you said, maybe it's because we're losing (and probably will be for the foreseeable future) but it just seems to me that... Idk.

If you ignore the Houston game, this team of Yak, Scottie, Rj, Gary, IQ and Dennis has been right there with every team we’ve played, and we’ve played some good teams with that unit healthy. RJs defence isn’t great but ppl r way too quick to be calling Barrett empty calories already, correlating a depleted roster to RJ not effecting outcomes isn’t the move.

The Poeltl/Barnes/RJ/GTJ/IQ lineup has only played 19 mins together so far because multiple guys have been in and out of the lineup, but that lineup so far is a +17.6

[Hero_Panda]

RJ's numbers in TO are insane.

34.4 MIN, 21.1 PPG, 7.1 REB, 3.5 AST, .551 FG, .364 3PT, .649 FT, .618 TS, 23.7 USG

This has to be the best 14 game stretch of his career and if it's not, it's gotta be pretty close. Everyone keeps waiting for the efficiency drop and he just keeps dropping 9/16 type games.

14gamebarrettmeme.gif

[YogurtProducer]

I've felt the same way and I'm not sure why. Like you said, maybe it's because we're losing (and probably will be for the foreseeable future) but it just seems to me that... Idk.

If you ignore the Houston game, this team of Yak, Scottie, Rj, Gary, IQ and Dennis has been right there with every team we’ve played, and we’ve played some good teams with that unit healthy. RJs defence isn’t great but ppl r way too quick to be calling Barrett empty calories already, correlating a depleted roster to RJ not effecting outcomes isn’t the move.

The Poeltl/Barnes/RJ/GTJ/IQ lineup has only played 19 mins together so far because multiple guys have been in and out of the lineup, but that lineup so far is a +17.6

That is really good to see. This team (ironically enough) now needs another 6'9" guy that can be a small ball 4/5.

[Badonkadonk]

RJ's numbers in TO are insane.

34.4 MIN, 21.1 PPG, 7.1 REB, 3.5 AST, .551 FG, .364 3PT, .649 FT, .618 TS, 23.7 USG

This has to be the best 14 game stretch of his career and if it's not, it's gotta be pretty close. Everyone keeps waiting for the efficiency drop and he just keeps dropping 9/16 type games.

I went through his monthly splits for his entire career and he's never actually had a stretch like this.

He's genuinely taking very different shots with the Raptors. No mid-range, more at the net, less above the break threes. He's rebounding more which I've been impressed with his and his passing has been a bit better to. He's basically been an entirely different player.

He's playing closer to his Team Canada role than what he played on the Knicks for Thibs, which is what I was hoping for as a best case scenario.

He's been more efficient at it than I imagined, but I think his role and complementary players make this change very legit longer term.

[Scase]

I'm super surprised by it and hope he keeps it up, but I can't shake the feeling of his stats not moving the needle for the team. Maybe it's just cause we are going to be losing games no matter what, for a while.

I've felt the same way and I'm not sure why. Like you said, maybe it's because we're losing (and probably will be for the foreseeable future) but it just seems to me that... Idk.

If you ignore the Houston game, this team of Yak, Scottie, Rj, Gary, IQ and Dennis has been right there with every team we’ve played, and we’ve played some good teams with that unit healthy. RJs defence isn’t great but ppl r way too quick to be calling Barrett empty calories already, correlating a depleted roster to RJ not effecting outcomes isn’t the move.

No one is saying they are empty, just so far they feel that way, and probably because of the losing. I was not impressed with RJ being part of the trade, but I have happily been wrong so far, and hope he continues to prove me wrong. But I'm going to need more than 14 games.

[gerrit4]

If you ignore the Houston game, this team of Yak, Scottie, Rj, Gary, IQ and Dennis has been right there with every team we’ve played, and we’ve played some good teams with that unit healthy. RJs defence isn’t great but ppl r way too quick to be calling Barrett empty calories already, correlating a depleted roster to RJ not effecting outcomes isn’t the move.

The Poeltl/Barnes/RJ/GTJ/IQ lineup has only played 19 mins together so far because multiple guys have been in and out of the lineup, but that lineup so far is a +17.6

That is really good to see. This team (ironically enough) now needs another 6'9" guy that can be a small ball 4/5.

Is that Rui Hachimura's music I hear?