Returning from a knee injury that RJ Barrett acknowledged will require further maintenance, the 23-year-old made franchise history Monday as the youngest Knick to reach 5,000 career points.
Patrick Ewing, who was 25 when he hit 5,000 points, was the previous record holder.
“That’s pretty cool,” Barrett said after the 111-97 victory over the Sixers. “Just testament to all the work and the trust the organization has had in me and all my coaches, so just going to continue to work. I’m grateful it came on a night we got a win.”
Barrett missed the previous two games with “patellar tendinopathy,” or knee soreness.
He said it will linger.
“For a little bit, yeah. Something I’ve got to deal with for a little bit,” he said. “But continuing to get treatment and just staying on top of what I need to do and I’ll be OK.
“I’ve just been playing a lot of basketball,” Barrett added. “Things are going to happen. It’s OK.”
Mason Plumlee, the veteran Clippers center, had to be carried off the court after his knee buckled in the third quarter.
Randle was chasing after a loose ball and dove into the legs of Plumlee, who fell to the court in pain. He was ruled out and the Clippers were left with one center, Ivica Zubac.
The Clippers said Plumlee has a sprained left knee and will be reevaluated Tuesday.