With an average of 23.8 points and a shooting success rate of 59% over the last eight games, RJ Barrett continues to confirm his recent rise in power day after day. His physical concerns now seem far behind him, allowing him to showcase his offensive talent alongside Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram.
However, for Darko Rajakovic, this is not enough. He also expects defensive efforts from the former Knicks player, who had good sequences against Cade Cunningham in the victory against the Pistons.
“There is nothing that can prevent him from being a very strong player on both sides of the court,” believes the Raptors coach. “And this has been the case since his first day here. He has all the physical qualities to do it. He is capable of defending against a point guard and also against a forward, besides the centers. He just needs to have that toughness, that mentality again and again. He has already shown us that from time to time. Lately, he has been doing it for much longer and it really helps the team to win.”
A former New York player under Tom Thibodeau, RJ Barrett has already shown during his career that he is capable of making defensive efforts. Within a competitive Toronto team, which has returned to the Top 6 in the East with 38 wins and 29 losses, the Canadian cannot hide and knows that his defense is now expected.
“I have focused on it. My teammates constantly talk to me about it, my coach as well,” he responds about this defensive necessity. “For them, if we want to win, everyone has to be involved on that side of the court. I try to set an example, to show how it should be done.”
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