This was the Quentin Grimes the Knicks had been ready on.
The defensive stalwart broke out of a prolonged taking pictures hunch along with his finest offensive efficiency in weeks.
Grimes sank six 3-pointers and scored 22 factors within the Knicks’ 142-118 rout of the Nets at a sold-out Backyard.
“Julius [Randle] made a lot of good performs after the swap, then they went to double him, and he bought it out fast,” coach Tom Thibodeau mentioned. “However I believed that enabled Quentin to get into the sport, and Quentin bought a superb rhythm from that.”
He was sizzling early, hitting three 3-pointers within the opening quarter and by no means actually cooled off in a confidence-building effort for the second-year guard.
The six triples have been his most since hitting seven in an extra time loss to the Mavericks on Dec. 27.
“QG’s any person we’re going to wish down the stretch,” Randle mentioned. “Tonight, all people felt good about how they performed and contributed to the win.”
Grimes entered the All-Star break struggling from 3-point vary, however he has begun to search out his stroke.
Even earlier than this efficiency, he had hit 5 of 12 from distance within the three earlier video games.
March has arrived and Derrick Rose remains to be a Knick, that means he’s not eligible for the playoffs if he obtained a buyout and wished to hitch a distinct group.
That, nonetheless, isn’t one thing Rose has mentioned pursuits him. It appears to be like like he’ll be a Knick the remainder of the yr.
“He contributes in a big-time strategy to our group. We all know how essential he’s to the group,” Thibodeau mentioned. “Whether or not he was a starter coming off an damage or coming off the bench or not within the rotation, he’s a really optimistic man.
“He’s been by way of loads. And going by way of adversity, he’s gone by way of all of it. He’s at all times lifting individuals up.”
Jalen Brunson wore a No. 88 Patrick Kane jersey to and from the victory. He grew up within the Chicago space and has been a fan of the most recent Ranger for fairly a while.
“He’s only a legend. I respect him loads,” Brunson mentioned. “I didn’t actually have a private relationship [with him] in any respect, however simply lots of respect for him.”
Knicks rookie Trevor Keels scored his first profession factors in mop-up obligation, sinking a 3-pointer within the remaining seconds. He was the group’s second-round choose (forty second general) out of Duke.
