MILWAUKEE — It wouldn’t be noteworthy in another era, let alone exceptional.
But in this NBA of rest days and body maintenance, RJ Barrett nearing 100 consecutive appearances is something to celebrate.
It’s also a pattern.
Barrett never missed a game in college. He says he never missed a game in high school.
It’s too early to declare Barrett an Ironman but being available every day is a point of pride and pain tolerance. There’s also luck involved, which is why Barrett, when reminded of the streak, briefly walked off the postgame interview Friday to knock on wood.
“I think it’s also just mental toughness being able to play through little things,” he said. “There’s always going to be little things that bother you and just being able to get the treatment and push through it.”
Barrett was one of just NBA 11 players who appeared in every game of last season’s condensed and hectic schedule. He finished second in total minutes behind teammate Julius Randle, and Barrett ranks in the top 20 this season.
His body and game passes the eye test for durability. Barrett is strong and plays close to the ground, thus less susceptible to acute injuries suffered by those high flyers or physically overmatched.
His lone absences were as a rookie because of a sprained ankle, which was followed by 96 straight games played heading into Sunday against the Cavaliers.
Just as important, Barrett has emerged through this streak as a reliable two-way stud worthy of being drafted third overall two years ago.
His 20-point effort in Friday’s victory over Milwaukee extended another streak — now at five straight games with 20 points or more, a career best.
Always a force in transition, Barrett countered a lack of halfcourt one-on-one explosiveness by developing into a better spot-up shooter. He altered his mechanics by widening his stance and moving his elbow to the left.
“I think that it’s hard to improve, particularly if you’re a young player, without that commitment,” Tom Thibodeau said. “So, I don’t want him to change that. I think that our coaches served him well. I think experience teaches him a lot. Each time you go out there, you’re learning more. But usually, if you start taking shortcuts, it’ll show in your performance. I want him to keep driving forward.”
