Make that two games in a row for RJ Barrett, performing like the postseason star the Knicks envisioned when they drafted him with the third-overall pick in the 2019 draft.
The 22-year-old wing heard loud chants of his first and last name from the Madison Square Garden throngs on Sunday while aggressively scoring 26 points in the Knicks’ 102-93 win over the Cavaliers in Game 4.
“It’s been amazing. It’s been helping a lot, especially just like when we’re going on those runs, it helps us even more,” Barrett said after the game. “The crowd, they help us get back into the game. They really threw a crazy punch there in the third. The fans, everybody, helped.”
Barrett was among the Knicks on the court for the entire fourth quarter, which began with them nursing a two-point advantage.
He scored nine of his points in a 14-6 Knicks run bridging the final two periods, but the lefty swingman was in attack-mode from the start, getting to the rim often and sinking 8 of 13 free-throw attempts in the game.
“Every time they threw a punch we threw something back,” Barrett said. “I think that a lot of times they were doubling Jalen [Brunson], so I was able to get the ball and kind of make the play.
“I just wanted to continue to make the right plays, make the right reads. Just do whatever to help the team. … I feel we’re playing extremely hard, making hustle plays. … The whole team, all the hustle plays we’re making, we’re really together collectively.”
In his first playoff experience in 2021 against the Hawks, Barrett’s lone strong offensive showing came in a 17-point loss in Game 4 in Atlanta, scoring 21 points on 8 of 15 from the field.
Follow The Post’s coverage of the Knicks vs. Heat NBA playoff series
- Vaccaro: Knicks’ failure to help Brunson is why their season’s over
- Knicks battle but fall in season-ending Game 6 loss to Heat
- Knicks couldn’t survive two minutes without Brunson
- Brunson’s heroic night spoiled by late turnover
Otherwise, the then-second-year wing averaged 12.8 points on 34.6 percent shooting in the other four games of a five-game elimination.
After two additional rocky shooting performances (6-for-25) to open this series in Cleveland, the 22-year-old Barrett connected on 56.7 percent from the field (17-for-30) in the two wins at the Garden, although he did miss all six of his tries from long distance in Game 4.
“Super aggressive, downhill, getting to the line,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “I thought, attacking the double-teams and getting to the back side put them in some closeouts, long closeouts, and I thought he read the closeouts well. So, the game will tell you what to do.”