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Welcoming back baseball

7/23/2020

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​by Jared Greenspan

“[Baseball] breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall all alone. -- A. Bartlett Giamatti

There’s nothing quite like Opening Day. 

As soon as the season ends, the countdown to the next begins. Those five months without baseball -- those long, arduous winter months -- often seem endless. That date you have circled on your calendar creeps and crawls closer, ever so slowly. 

On the morning it arrives, hope springs eternal. A routine Thursday morning is met with pep and vim, rather than usual dread. The air is crisp, abound with good cheer and unbridled optimism. 

For one day, you take everything -- the expectations, the past results, the negativity, the reality -- and throw it out the window. None of that will be needed on this day. 

Your team, the one you love with a passion and, simultaneously, hate with fury, has a clean slate. No stains. No blemishes. For one day, your team is in first place. 

162 games, spread out over six months, lie ahead. If you squint just hard enough, you can make out that ever-winding narrow path to glory. Well, if this happens and this happens and then this happens, then… 

You convince yourself that maybe, just maybe, it’s possible. This is your team’s year. 

Opening Day marks a cause for celebration. Friends and families cluster around televisions; kids play hooky from school; adults call in sick from work. The luckiest ones journey to the ballpark to root alongside 40,000 strangers who, for the day, become their closest friends.

There’s no better feeling. 

Thursday evening, Washington’s Max Scherzer will take the mound at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., and hurl the first pitch of the 2020 MLB season to Aaron Hicks of the Yankees. Baseball, on the heels of an atypically long nine-month hiatus, will finally be back. 

Opening Day, though, won’t be the same. The optimism that accompanies the occasion will be dampened and earmarked by the peculiar. 

In 2020, baseball will play amidst a disconcerting backdrop -- a country marred in a devastating pandemic, the coronavirus running wild and showing no signs of letting up. 

And so on this Opening Day, there will be no pilgrimages to the ballpark made by fathers and sons, mothers and daughters and lifelong friends. There will be no festivities or player introductions. There will be no roaring from the crowd. There will be no ring ceremony for the Nationals, the reigning World Series champions. 

Memories will be put on hold.

Instead, as baseball begins its treacherous task of navigating the merciless ways of the pandemic, there will be masks, social distancing and COVID tests -- all newfound staples of a post-coronavirus society. Artificial crowd noise, auto-generated via Playstation’s MLB The Show video game, will ring hollow in cavernous ballparks. Mute cardboard cutouts will occupy the seats meant for raucous fanatics. 

By now, the 2020 MLB season should be 90 games deep. The contenders would have separated themselves from the pretenders. The All-Star game and Home Run Derby would have been firmly in the rearview mirror. Rumors would be swirling, with the trade deadline looming around the corner. 

Now, even with Opening Day on the doorstep, the very prospect of a 2020 season is fragile. One misstep in following protocol by one player could make everything come tumbling down in September, or October, or next week. 

It might not even take a misstep to bring everything crashing to the ground. Thursday, a mere five hours before the opener, Nationals star Juan Soto tested positive for coronavirus. Soto, while asymptomatic, will have to register two clean COVID tests before being cleared to return. In other words, his absence is sure to be a matter of weeks, not days.

Soto has been a full participant in Washington’s summer camp up to this point, meaning that he’s interacted with players, coaches and trainers. It’s certainly possible — if not likely — that he infected a teammate. And yet Washington, minus Soto, is full steam ahead for their game tonight against the Yankees. They scrimmaged Baltimore two days ago. It’s easy to see, now, just how quickly this can spread. 

In a situation as unprecedented, the unpredictable is omnipresent. Unknowns are multiplying. Health risks are staggering and worrisome. 

There’s a common belief, however naive and short-sighted it may be, that baseball possesses an ability to heal, on both an individual level and a national one. As America’s pastime, baseball has been a recreational diversion to an ailing country countless times before -- during World War I and World War II, in the aftermath of 9-11, following the bombings at the Boston Marathon. Baseball, through both thick and thin, has been there for us. 

This go around, something feels different. Baseball is back, and while it may be able to divert, it surely can’t rescue. It’s reasonable to wonder whether, on an ethics standpoint, if it’s right to exhibit fanfare and optimism over a baseball season while 145,000 (and counting) Americans won’t be alive to witness it. 

What’s become clear from the coronavirus is that sports are a luxury, perhaps a reward, for a functioning society. New Zealand, a country that has effectively squashed the coronavirus, is reaping the benefits of such, having hosted live sporting events with full capacity stadiums as early as last month. The United States is eons away from matching New Zealand’s success in combatting the pandemic. And thus, the morality of resuming sports while a crippling virus rages on, largely unrestrained, remains in question. 

And yet you find yourself anxiously counting down the hours to first pitch, much like any other year. That’s okay. When the games start, you’ll feel the emotions. You’ll cheer. You’ll scream. You’ll feel joy. You’ll feel heartbreak. You’ll be lost in the game of baseball. It’s all inevitable. 

We need baseball back. Yet we also need to  keep perspective. For one season, at least, the reality that exists outside the baseball diamond should stick with us as we get swept up in the 60-game sprint. 

Baseball can distract. But it shouldn’t be a reason to forget.



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State of the Big Ten - NCAAB

12/7/2019

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​by Jared Greenspan
1. Michigan (7-1)

    It would be near-impossible to script a better start to the Juwan Howard era for the Wolverines. For months, questions swirled about how Michigan would acclimate to life without long-time coach John Beilein and its top-three scorers from a year ago. In the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament, the Wolverines proved doubters wrong, bulldozing perennial powerhouses North Carolina and Gonzaga en route to the tournament title. Michigan picked up its first loss of the year against #1 Louisville on Tuesday, but still stands as the cream of the crop in the nation’s best conference. 

2. Ohio State (8-0)
    The Buckeyes have built a resume as impressive as any team in the nation, with two 25-point victories over then-top-10 teams in Villanova and North Carolina. Ohio State’s wing players like Duane Washington and Luther Muhammad have an additional year under their belt, making Chris Holtmann’s group equipped with weapons to coincide with one of the nation’s best big men in Kaleb Wesson. 

3. Maryland (9-0)
    The Terrapins lost Bruno Fernando to the NBA back in June yet haven’t missed a beat thus far in the 2019-2020 campaign. Marc Turgeon has a plethora of weapons and wing players to complement big man Jalen Smith, who looks vastly-improved in his sophomore season. Critics would point out that Maryland, ranked third in the nation, has yet to play a ranked opponent, yet its resume features wins over Notre Dame and Marquette, two teams expected to compete for an NCAA tournament berth. 

4. Michigan State (5-3)
    The Spartans entered the season with as much national hype as any team in the country, boosted by a solid incoming recruiting class and the return of national player of the year favorite Cassius Winston. Without Josh Langford, who continues to struggle with recurring foot injuries, Michigan State has hit a few bumps in the road, mainly a first-round loss in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational to unranked Virginia Tech. Until Langford returns, the Spartans’ ceiling will be as far as Winston can carry them, which right now isn’t enough to crack the top-three in a top-heavy Big Ten conference. 

5. Purdue (5-3)
    Purdue basketball underneath Matt Painter is always steady, and there’s no reason this year shouldn’t culminate with another NCAA Tournament appearance for the Boilermakers. Life is different without Carsen Edwards, and a young team has shown struggles against other major-conference opponents, falling to Marquette, Texas and Florida State.Expect this team, though, to only get better as the months move on -- with a resounding victory over defending-champion Virginia in the Big Ten-ACC challenge, the Boilermakers already appear to be making strides,

6. Penn State (7-1)
    After years of false temptations, this might finally be the season that the Nittany Lions are relevant on the basketball court. Lamar Stevens is a pure scorer, and Penn State has built a solid early-season resume with wins over Georgetown and Syracuse. We’ll know a lot more about this team after their trip to Ohio State and hosting of Maryland to open the Big Ten slate this upcoming week. 

7. Indiana (8-0)
    The Hoosiers are receiving far less national attention post-Romeo Langford, and that might be for the better. Entering its Big Ten-ACC matchup against Florida State, the narrative was that Indiana had yet to be tested. Still, it won the games it was meant to win, something that was a downfall of last year’s squad. A dominating victory over the Seminoles, though, puts Archie Miller’s squad back on the map. Indiana has a lot of fresh faces on and it’ll be interesting to see who emerges as the team’s legitimate scoring option with more formidable opponents looming around the corner. 

8. Iowa (6-2)
    Iowa under Fran McCaffery always seems to be middle-of-the-pack, and it seems as if the Hawkeyes are destined for another one of those years. This isn’t the same Iowa team that was one disastrous collapse against Tennessee away from advancing to the Sweet 16, but it returns potent scorers and outside-shooters. Resounding victory over then 12th ranked Texas Tech and Syracuse in the Carrier Dome seem to subdue apprehensions after a non-competitive home loss to Depaul a few weeks earlier. 

9. Wisconsin (4-4)
    Life without Ethan Happ has not gone smoothly for the Badgers, who remain a perplexing bunch. Losses to Richmond and New Mexico State look worse than they are at first glance, but these two mid-majors are formidable opponents that will vy for a tournament spot come March. Still, they are games that Wisconsin should win if they plan on remaining relevant in the Big Ten. A convincing win over in-state rival Marquette and a hard-fought loss against St. Marys tell us not to count the Badgers out quite yet, unless offensive struggles continue to persist. 

10. Minnesota (4-4)
    Richard Pitino’s program was destined to take a step back last year after losing several prominent players from a team that topped Louisville in the NCAA tournament. The only question was how big a step it would be and early results are not encouraging. The Gophers played four major-conference opponents in non conference play and lost all four of them, before breaking that spell with a big win over Clemson on Monday. It’s a team that will likely grow into its own as the season progresses, yet for now remains in the wrong half of the power rankings. 

11. Illinois (6-2)
    Entering the season, expectations for the Fighting Illini were as high as they’ve been in recent memory. Brad Underwood and company showed tantalizing flashes toward the end of last season, and when fringe first-round pick Ayo Dosunmo returned to school for his sophomore season, the hype only grew. In the Big Ten-ACC challenge on Monday, Illinois failed to show up, trailing by as many as 25 in the first half at home to a subpar Miami squad. Performances like these won’t cut it in a cutthroat Big Ten. 

12. Rutgers (6-2)
    Oh, Rutgers. At some point, you figure, Steve Pikell will turn Rutgers into a contender. While the Scarlet Knights have gone 6-2 thus far, it seems unlikely that this is the year. The resume, though, does feature a victory over Stephen F Austin, so, by the transitive property, Rutgers would beat Duke…. Enough of that. Back to reality. A team that squeaked past Bryant by two and Drexel by five will remain a bottom-dweller. 

13. Northwestern (4-3)
    It feels like just the other day that the Wildcats were turning the corner toward prolonged national relevance after finally breaking through and making the tournament in 2017. Instead, Doug Collins’ team, instead of using their NCAA appearance as a springboard, has done the opposite, reverting back to their laughable losing ways. Any optimism for this season was quickly quelled with a season-opening loss to Merrimack -- a team that had yet to win a game at the DI level -- as 18.5 point favorites.

14. Nebraska (4-4)
    Fred Hoiberg’s return to college basketball thus far has gone, to put it kindly, poorly. Struggles were expected after the team went through a complete offseason overhaul, losing their four best players in the process. But consecutive home losses to UC Riverside and Southern Utah to open the season, combined with a loss to George Mason a few weeks later, wasn’t something anyone saw coming. Despite rebounding a bit with wins over USF and Washington State, this Cornhusker team remains the least-competitive in the Big Ten until they prove otherwise. 

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In Atlantis, Michigan Basketball proves itself

12/3/2019

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by Jared Greenspan

Michigan basketball entered the Bad Boy Mowers Battle 4 Atlantis tournament as a relative unknown. While its record was unblemished, anxieties still swirled, the departures of John Beilein and last year’s top-three scorers looming over the program like an unrelenting cloud. 
Beating up on the likes of Elon and Houston Baptist offered reassuring confidence boosts for Juwan Howard and company, but no true insight into the team’s identity. Whether this team could compete against stiffer competition was unclear. 
In the Bahamas, the Wolverines resolutely answered the question. Criminally underrated and unranked, Michigan emerged as one of the best teams in the country. 
En route to capturing the tournament championship, the Wolverines defeated a respectable Iowa State team along with two blue bloods: sixth ranked North Carolina and eighth ranked Gonzaga. Even more impressive than the wins themselves was the manner in which they won, running each of their opponents straight out of the Paradise Ballroom. 
Michigan’s domination in the Bahamas truly was a team effort. 
Over the first four games of the season, the Wolverines heavily relied on senior point guard and leader Zavier Simpson. As Simpson went, so did the offense, for better and for worse. Against talented point guards like Iowa State sophomore Tyrese Haliburton and North Carolina freshman sensation Cole Anthony, it was presumed that Michigan would need peak-Simpson to stand a chance. 
In both matchups, the Wolverines got subpar Simpson. He was uncharacteristically sloppy as the court mistro in the opener, committing eight turnovers. A day later, he endured foul trouble and only appeared on the court for 17 minutes, fouling out with five minutes left to play. 
And yet, Michigan proved it could manage just fine without Simpson, opening up a 15-point lead on Iowa State despite Simpson’s bout with turnovers and stretching its lead against North Carolina to 24-points as Simpson rode the bench. Such was a far cry from the haplessness that branded the offense whenever Simpson took a breather in games pre-Atlantis.
The emergence of rotational players underneath Juwan Howard’s guidance is a big reason why Michigan was all of a sudden able to navigate the storm without Simpson. Howard’s tendency to go nine and even ten players deep in a game has paid massive dividends, keeping everyone fresh and instilling confidence in their in-game abilities. 
David DeJulius is suddenly living up to his preseason hype, playing like a different player than the one we saw in the season-opener against Appalachian State. The sophomore guard dropped 34 points in the three games, showcasing a near-automatic three-point stroke. 
Eli Brooks too looks rejuvenated, notching 24 points in 39 minutes against North Carolina, a game in which he embraced his role as the go-to scorer late. Brooks showed a play-making ability with dribble-drives and stellar outside-shooting that rivaled Muhammad Ali-Abdur Rahkman’s. 
The narrative of improvement can be extended to every other player on the team. Isaiah Livers appears set to burst onto the scene as one of the premier players in the Big Ten. Franz Wagner flashed his potential after returning from a broken wrist. Colin Castleton seems stronger down low. Jon Teske silenced any doubts that he could keep up with the new frenetic, high-octane offensive system with a resounding 19 point, 15 rebound effort against Gonzaga that earned him MVP honors. 
A piece about Michigan proving itself would be remiss if it didn’t mention Juwan Howard himself. Just seven games into his coaching career, Howard has already quieted critics that harped on his lack of coaching experience and estrangement from the college game after out-coaching the likes of Roy Williams and Mark Few. He has shown a masterful ability to handle rotations, get the most out of his players and make in-game adjustments. 
Howard has quickly gained the support and adoration of his team — just look at the excitement and jubilation cast upon his players’ faces as he rocked his classic cabbage patch dance following the victory over Gonzaga. 
Howard and Michigan want to be more than feel good story — they want to keep this early-season success up. The schedule for the Wolverines offers no easy games. A road trip to Louisville, the nation’s freshly-minted number one team, beckons. Matchups against Iowa and Illinois to start Big Ten play, along with a tough non-conference game against Oregon, loom in the near-future as well.
For now, though, the Wolverines are rolling and have firmly put themselves back onto the basketball map, a map that never should have removed them in the first place.

by Jared Greenspan

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Michigan-SVSU Takeaways

11/2/2019

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By: Jared Greenspan

Friday night, Michigan basketball unofficially kicked off the Juwan Howard era by defeating Division II Saginaw Valley State 82-51 in an exhibition game in Ann Arbor. Here are a few notable takeaways from the Wolverines' performance. 
​
Struggles for DeJulius 
No Michigan player received more preseason hype than David DeJulius, the sophomore guard. Juwan Howard consistently praised DeJulius for his offseason work ethic and re-tooled jump shot. After playing only 95 minutes as a freshman, DeJulius suddenly emerged as one of the team’s most potent offensive weapons -- he dropped 21 on 7-8 from distance in a scrimmage against Detroit Mercy, and shined again in the inter-squad game. Friday night, however, offered a blunt reality-check for the DeJulius hype. Coming off the bench, he managed just 5 points and struggled shooting, going 2-9 from the field and 0-4 from three. While only a small sample size, the poor play was not an encouraging sign, especially since Michigan will rely on DeJulius to provide scoring and strong guard play while Franz Wagner recovers from his wrist injury. 

Adjustments at the Four
One of the more intriguing lineup combinations that Juwan Howard experimented with involved playing both Jon Teske and Colin Castleton on the court at the same time. Such a lineup requires Castleton to show off his versatility as a forward, stretching to the perimeter to open up the floor with Teske down in the heart of the paint. Castleton looked comfortable playing the four, not hesitant to take a jump shot and willing to spend long periods of time estranged from the paint. Much like Castleton, Brandon Johns Jr. also looked in his element on the perimeter, going 4-5 from the field and draining two three-pointers. Moving forward, pairing one of Castleton and Johns with Teske will likely become an integral part of the offense as a way to keep the forwards on the floor. 

Zavier Simpson is still Zavier Simpson  
To no one’s surprise, Zavier Simpson was in direct control of Michigan’s offense Friday night. On the court, Simpson registered 11 assists, including two highlight-reel lobs to Isaiah Livers. He engineered solid ball movement with crisp passes, looking in mid-season form. Shooting-wise, Simpson had his ups-and-downs -- 3-6 from the field, 1-3 from distance, 0-2 from the line. Such shooting woes, while improved from years past, have come to be the norm for Simpson. Meanwhile, as soon as Simpson checked out of the game, the Michigan offense looked like an entirely different unit. Such struggles allowed Saginaw Valley State to get back into the game, ultimately cutting the deficit to two points until Simpson re-entered and, unsurprisingly, the offense began humming again. Juwan Howard will have to find the right spots to rest Simpson during the season, as his presence is truly invaluable on the court. 

A New Look Offense
Perhaps the most notable difference between John Beilein’s offense and Juwan Howard’s offense (one game in) is the pace of play. Under Beilein, Michigan often ran half-court sets and was reluctant to push the pace out in transition. Last night, the Wolverines, led by Simpson and Eli Brooks in particular, pushed the tempo to no ends, making for a frenetic and aggressive style of play. It wasn’t all pretty -- at times play grew sloppy and out of control -- yet growing pains are sure to be expected. As the season gets under way, it’ll be interesting to see how the fast-paced offense looks when the players feel totally in-sync with the new system. Of course, doing such in haste would work to Michigan’s advantage. 

Strong Showing by Livers
Isaiah Livers was far and away the best player on the court last night, a welcoming sign for Michigan. With Ignas Brazdeikis, Charles Matthews and Jordan Poole all having left for the NBA, much of the scoring duties now fall on the shoulders of Livers. The junior from Kalamazoo looked ready to handle the role of leading-scorer in the exhibition, dropping 20 points in 25 minutes. He went 7-11 from the field and 4-8 from downtown, displaying a pure shooting stroke and an ability to make shots from all over the court. He also showcased his athleticism and ability to run the floor with two early transition dunks. As teams focus more of their attention on Livers and as the level of opponent increases, Livers will likely experience some growing pains as the lead guy, yet Friday’s performance certainly offers much optimism.

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RJ Barrett's Promising Start Giving Knicks Fans Needed Hope

10/30/2019

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By: Jared Greenspan

The 2019 NBA Draft Lottery brought about unprecedented angst and apprehension for NBA franchises and their respective fanbases. Why? Available for the taking was Zion Williamson, the freakishly athletic, extremely gifted bowling ball of a power forward from Duke who, in many eyes, was viewed as the best pro prospect since LeBron James. 

Williamson offered all the lackluster franchises competing in the lottery with a formidable chance at resurrection. The team lucky enough to land the first overall pick would presumably select Williamson, who would bring instant excitement, entertainment and unlimited potential. 

For fans of the New York Knicks, a franchise notoriously dormant and dysfunctional throughout the 21st century, the crave for Williamson was palpable. New York had a 14% chance to land the coveted number one pick, tied with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Phoenix Suns for the top odds. If the Knicks could land Williamson, years of failure would quickly be forgotten. 

In typical Knicks fashion, though, the ping pong balls failed to bounce in the franchise’s favor, the number one pick instead falling into the laps of the unsuspecting New Orleans Pelicans. The devastated New York fanbase went up in flames and a depressing hysteria.

Relegated to the third pick in the NBA Draft, New York went on to select RJ Barrett, Williamson’s college teammate at Duke. After a promising season debut in San Antonio last Wednesday night and three strong games since then, it appears that Barrett might have what it takes to be the flame that ignites the franchise to a restoration of its glory days, after all. Perhaps Barrett is capable of making the New York City faithful forget about their lost chance at gold in Williamson. 

It’s easy to forget that, coming out of high school, it was Barrett -- not Williamson -- who was the number one player in the country. Almost immediately, Barrett was overshadowed by Williamson’s thrilling theatrics and highlight-reel dunks at Duke. 

While a Blue Devil, Barrett was often under-appreciated and criticized for his play on offense. There was no doubt that he was immensely talented and capable of scoring in droves, yet many viewed him as selfish. Critics ridiculed his questionable shot selection and inability to make an outside jump shot with any sort of consistency. 

Such concerns reared their head again throughout the preseason and summer league for the Knicks. Barrett often jacked up shot after shot, showing little self-control. His shooting percentage was uncomfortably low, as even when he got to the basket -- one of his strong suits -- he had trouble converting. Teams would also leave him free on the perimeter, not all too worried with his ability to knock one down from range. 

In a formidable NBA system, Barrett would not be able to survive while keeping up such play on offense. Forcing up shots and isolation would have to give way to crisp cuts and ball movement. From there, scoring opportunities would surely arise more naturally. The question, though, would be whether or not Barrett, all of 19-years-old, could pick up on such in haste. 

In the Knicks first game of the season against the San Antonio Spurs, we saw a much more controlled, poised and ultimately impressive version of Barrett. It was the tantalizing type of play which floods Knicks’ fans hearts with endless hope. 

Barrett bullied his way through the Spurs defense with ease, getting to the basket in the halfcourt and transition. When he bruised into the paint, he was able to finish, showcasing strength and creativity at the rim. Overall, Barrett finished 9-13 from the field, good for 21 points. Only taking 13 shots, Barrett showed a form of self-control that was largely absent at Duke and in the preseason, certainly a positive takeaway. 

In his second career game against the Brooklyn Nets, Barrett flashed his defensive potential -- another aspect of his game often absent while at Duke. The rookie recorded six steals, flexing good, active hands. 

The positive play from Barrett has continued since then. Against the Celtics in his debut at the Garden, he led all Knicks with 26 points, also canning four three-pointers. In the Knicks first win of the season against the Chicago Bulls, the rookie was instrumental in engineering an 18-point comeback, notching a double-double with 19 points and 15 rebounds while logging 40 minutes. 

Only nineteen, Barrett is mature and wise beyond his years. Coach David Fizdale has developed so much trust in Barrett that he opted to start the rookie at point guard in the season opener. While the beginnings of such an experiment failed to pay dividends, the showing of confidence certainly says something about the rookie’s talent level and adaptability. And in the closing minutes of the game against Brooklyn, Fizdale again turned back to Barrett to man the point guard position, a stint in which he looked much-improved and more confident. 

In today’s NBA, Barrett is the lauded prototype. At 6-7, he has the height and lanky wingspan to disrupt perimeter players and battle with taller post players. On the flip side, Barrett is a mismatch for bigs and smalls alike, possessing an ability to score down low and handle the ball with grace.
​ 

In the end, Wednesday night was only the first game of Barrett’s career and, combined with the other three games, makes for a small sample size. Still, the results have undoubtedly been encouraging, Barrett’s strong start surely sparking hope for Knicks fans moving forward. 

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