Getty RJ Barrett
New York Knicks starting wing RJ Barrett delivered another clutch performance as Canada took down defending FIBA World Cup champion Spain 85-80 in overtime on Thursday, August 17, at Palacio de Municipal de Deportes in Granada, Spain.
It was Canada’s third straight victory in their warmup games leading to the 2023 FIBA World Cup later this month and their second straight overtime win — thanks mainly to Barrett’s heroics anew.
Barrett followed up his 31-point explosion against Germany with six of his 18 points in the extra time, including a tough shot that barely beat the shot clock with 61 seconds left that gave Canada a four-point cushion, 82-78.
Clutch for Canada: RJ with the dagger 🗡️
Two minutes earlier, his breakaway dunk capped a 7-0 Canada start in overtime. But Spain answered back and came within two before Barrett sealed the win.
RJ Barrett breakaway dunk in overtime
The 23-year-old Barrett had another efficient shooting effort, hitting 6 of 11 shots, including 2-of-4 from the 3-point range.
.@RjBarrett6 been feelin it since the jump 🔥
He also made 4-of-5 free throws, while rounding up his productive night with two rebounds, two steals and one assist.
Oklahoma City Thunder’s All-NBA guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Canada in scoring with 22 points on 17 shots, with eight rebounds and three assists. But it was Barrett who made the most impact when it mattered.
Canada outscored Spain by 18 points per 100 possessions during Barrett’s 32-minute stint on the floor, the highest plus-minus from both teams. Dwight Powell, who finished with a double-double (12 points, 12 rebounds) followed with plus-17. Gilgeous-Alexander and Dillon Brook were plus-16.
It was the second straight loss for Spain, led by Juancho Hernangomez’s 12 points. Team USA dealt their first loss 98-88 over the weekend.
Barrett and Canada will wrap up their preparation with a final tuneup game against the Karl-Anthony Towns-led Dominican Republic tomorrow, August 18, in the same venue.
Evan Fournier Marks 100th International Game With France Win
Earlier in the day, Evan Fournier marked his 100th game for France with an 88-70 rout of Japan at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena.
Fournier scored 10 points and rested in the fourth quarter in his return from a one-game absence due to a sprained ankle. He shot 4-of-9 from the field and added two assists, one rebound, one steal and a block in just 19 minutes of play.
France remained unbeaten in four warmup games.
Before the game, France’s Jacques Commères, director of performance for the French Teams, presented Fournier with a special No. 100 jersey to commemorate his international career milestone and longevity with their national team.
The 30-year-old French guard vowed to use the FIBA World Cup as his launchpad toward rebuilding his confidence and value after getting buried on the Knicks bench last season.
Kendrick Perkins Believes Jalen Brunson Is Legit Superstar
Former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins fully believes that Knicks star Jalen Brunson, who’s leading Team USA’s gold medal bid in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, is a legit superstar caliber player.
“At what point are we going to start actually putting Jalen Brunson in the same category with guys like Bradley Beal, Jaylen Brown? We’re talking about a guy, outside of Team USA and representing for his country, that helped the [Mavericks] go to the Western Conference Finals, then put the Knicks on his back last season and helped him get to the second round,” Perkins said on the “NBA Today.”
“[Brunson] went toe-to-toe with the Miami Heat and Jimmy Butler. He’s a legit superstar-caliber player that gets it done when it matters the most and you could go to him in the fourth quarter when it’s a possession-by-possession game. So this guy continues to get better, and we have to start putting him in the conversation with the likes of the other young superstars around the league just to be fair,” he added.