Getty RJ Barrett of the New York Knicks taking on the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Los Angeles Lakers are starting down an important stretch of the season. After a rough start, they are now looking to make a serious playoff push, and with all the moves they made at the trade deadline, they have a real chance to make some noise.
That won’t come without some bumps in the road, though. They dropped a game to the New York Knicks on Sunday night, despite the Knicks missing Jalen Brunson. RJ Barrett and Julius Randle dominated in the contest, and after the game, Barrett spoke about pressuring the Lakers in the win.
“Yeah, yesterday, in the beginning of the fourth, we came out kind of flat,” Barrett said via NBA on ESPN. “So, tonight, we just wanted to put the pressure on them right at the beginning of the fourth, build a lead, and we did that.”
Barrett put up some great numbers against the Lakers, finishing the game with 30 points, five rebounds, and two assists on 12-of-27 shooting from the field and 1-of-8 shooting from behind the three-point line.
However, it was his fourth-quarter showing that really stood out. Barrett dropped 13 points, two rebounds, and two assists on 6-of-12 shooting from the floor and 1-of-3 shooting from deep in the final frame.
In addition, Barrett also discussed the Knicks’ on-court mentality with Brunson out and how they are looking to stay aggressive.
“We just stayed in attack mode and played together,” Barrett said. “And especially just getting those easy transition points, that definitely helps us.”
D’Angelo Russell Sounds Off on Julius Randle
Meanwhile, D’Angelo Russell and Randle both had great games in the contest, and after the game, Russell spoke about his relationship, or lack thereof, with Randle, as the two were teammates on the Lakers early on in their respective careers.
“No. No. I’m just a fan of his game. No relationship,” Russell said via the NBA Interviews YouTube channel. “We played together. Went our separate ways after that, and it’s just been competitive energy ever since then. So, I mean, that’s how I am with everybody. I’m not really friends with anybody, to be honest. So, on the court, it’s no love. You know, you just want to battle, try to get the win, and maybe shake hands after.”
Dennis Schroder Shows Love to Anthony Davis
After the game, Anthony Davis took the blame for the loss, as he struggled on offense against the Knicks. However, Dennis Schroder made sure to lift his teammate up, letting it be known that he can’t take all the blame for the loss.
“Yeah, I mean, it’s everybody. It’s everybody in this locker room. I mean, I can say the same thing,” Schröder said. “When I came in, I had two quick turnovers. It’s on everybody. And when we lose, we lose as a team. If we win, we win as a team. But AD, he tries to be great at all times, and he’d been, I mean, 90% of the time, great for us. And I mean, that you miss free throws there. I mean, that happens. We’re all humans. And we can’t control if a shot goes in. But everything else, defensively, he did a great job still. Even in the second half on Julius Randle. So, he can’t put it on himself.”
