Ian Begley, SNY.tv | Twitter |

After practice on Wednesday, RJ Barrett was shooting free throws while Knicks assistant coach Keith Bogans rebounded for him. He celebrated after he made his last attempt on Wednesday, as the Knicks front office looked on.

"Before I leave every practice I've got to make 10 or 15 in a row before I get off the court," Barrett said.

The extra shooting seems to be paying off.

After starting the season shooting around 50 percent from the free-throw line, Barrett has made 77 percent of his free throws over the last 12 games. He's also hit 39 percent of his 3-point attempts in that stretch.

"I said I'm going to keep working on it; it's a matter of time," Barrett said Wednesday when asked about his strong shooting of late. "I feel like everybody coming into the league, all the stars, you see where they were at when they first came in and see where they're at now, it's just the work you put in, it shows."

Barrett's shot was one of the bigger concerns scouts had about him coming out of college. So his shooting of late is an encouraging sign for the Knicks. It's one of the few positives New York will carry into Thursday's game against Phoenix.

The Knicks are just 11-30 through the first half of the season, by far the worst record of any team Barrett's played on.

"I've been trying to learn a lot. Know the business. Trying to learn the game as much as I can," Barrett said on Wednesday when asked about the losing. "Hopefully this team keeps growing and I can be a piece to a winning team."

TRIER HANDLING NEW ROLE WELL

Mike Miller believes Allonzo Trier has been 'really professional' in handling his reduced role this season.

"He's one of the first ones in the gym every day getting work in. You watch his body language and his excitement on the sidelines, he's into the games, he's into his team," Miller said. "He's been highly professional this year."

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