NEW YORK (AP) RJ Barrett kept misfiring, a rough start to his college reunion week at Madison Square Garden.
Barrett did plenty of things well but not shooting, going 4 for 14 on Wednesday night in the New York Knicks’ 100-96 loss to the Atlanta Hawks.
Old teammate Cam Reddish left with a victory, but Barrett gets another chance for bragging rights among Duke rookies Friday, when Zion Williamson comes to town.
Williamson, Barrett and Reddish were freshmen at Duke last season who went on to become top-10 NBA draft picks. Barrett, the No. 3 pick, and Reddish, taken 10th, were guarding each other at the start of the game.
”Obviously, competing against him was a ton of fun,” Reddish said. ”I mean, obviously in college we were together nonstop and we’re here now, so competing against him was definitely a good experience.”
While Williamson has been tearing up the NBA in preseason play to the tune of 23.3 points per game on 71.4% shooting for unbeaten New Orleans, Barrett and Reddish have experienced some of the usual rookie struggles.
Reddish entered shooting 28.6% at 6 for 21. He was 4 for 7 when the Hawks lost to the Pelicans in their opener, but then went 1 for 7 in each of the next two games, missing all eight 3-point attempts.
He bounced back with a 4-for-9 performance and nine points, which was good enough the way Trae Young (23 points, nine assists) and Vince Carter (17 points, five 3-pointers) played.
Barrett averaged 16 points in his first two games and finished with 12 in this one. He did add seven rebounds and a team-high six assists, but his outside shot just wouldn’t fall and his errant pass in the third quarter was scooped up by Reddish and taken for a three-point play that gave Atlanta a 75-69 lead.
”He’s always engaged. He’s always trying to win,” Knicks coach David Fizdale said about Barrett. ”These are good learning lessons for him right now to go through that and he still made some plays.”
SPURS 128, ROCKETS 114
LaMarcus Aldridge scored 22 points on 11-of-13 shooting to help visiting San Antonio get its first preseason win, and spoil James Harden’s near triple-double.
Dejounte Murray added 20 points, going 8 of 11, for San Antonio (1-3), which shot 57% from the field. The Spurs, who led 65-51 at the half behind Murray’s 15 points and Aldridge’s 14, had six players score in double figures.
Harden powered Houston (3-2) with 40 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Russell Westbrook and Eric Gordon each added 14 points. Harden made 13 of 27 from the field and Westbrook was 5 of 13.
HAWKS 100, KNICKS 96
Young beat the third-quarter buzzer with a long 3-pointer in transition to give Atlanta an 80-71 lead. Carter sank an open 3-pointer from the wing for a 97-95 lead with 1:30 remaining, and Young made two free throws at the 16-second mark to make it 99-96. New York was off on a 3-pointer and De’Andre Hunter sealed it with a free throw.
Hunter, a rookie from Virginia’s national championship team, had 15 points for Atlanta (1-3). Carter scored 14 of Atlanta’s 16 points with four 3-pointers late in the second quarter.
Julius Randle paced New York (1-2) with 20 points and eight rebounds.
PISTONS 116, HORNETS 110
Andre Drummond and Markieff Morris each scored 17 points and visiting Detroit held off Charlotte. Drummond also had 15 rebounds, and Langston Galloway scored a team-high 18 points, with five 3-pointers, off the bench.
Tim Frazier added 15 points and 12 assists for Detroit (3-2), which was without Blake Griffin. Drummond had 12 points and nine rebounds in the first half as the Pistons led 61-58.
Malik Monk led Charlotte (2-3) with 18 points and seven assists. Cody Zeller was one of four Hornets with 12 points.
GRIZZLIES 124, THUNDER 119
Former Oregon standout Dillon Brooks scored 30 points, with five 3-pointers, and Jaren Jackson Jr. added 18 points and 10 rebounds for Memphis in the road victory.
Tyus Jones scored 10 of his 16 points in the first half for Memphis (3-1).
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 17 points, Danilo Gallinari had 16 points and 10 rebounds and Steven Adams added 12 points for Oklahoma City (2-2). Devon Hall scored a team-high 19.
TRAIL BLAZERS 126, JAZZ 118
At Salt Lake City, CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard combined for 53 points and eight 3-pointers as Portland’s backcourt outdueled Mike Conley Jr. and Donovan Mitchell.
McCollum made five 3s and scored 28 points, and Lillard had 25 points, five rebounds and four assists in 29 minutes.
Mitchell led Utah (1-4) with 27 points and four 3-pointers. Conley added 20 points and Rudy Gobert had 13 points and 15 boards.
Zach Collins was the only other starter for Portland (2-2) in double-figure scoring with 13 points. Hassan Whiteside grabbed 11 rebounds.
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