Quentin Grimes showcasing an all-around game for the Knicks
Knicks guard Quentin Grimes dunks against the Houston Rockets during the second half of a game on March 27 at Madison Square Garden. Credit: AP/Adam Hunger
NEW ORLEANS — A year ago as a rookie, Quentin Grimes spent the final days of the season mostly in street clothes, inactive for seven of the last eight games as the Knicks played out the string in a lottery-bound season.
He showed hints of his potential in a season marked by injuries, waiting for his opportunity. Grimes is a different player now. A summer of hard work earned him a starting job and as the regular season winds down he is a key piece to the Knicks' postseason hopes — from his offensive ability, marked by games like a career-high 36-point effort Wednesday in Indiana, to his defensive acumen, earning him the assignment of defending the best perimeter threat.
“It’s my first time going in,” Grimes said. “I’m just going in how I’ve been approaching every game. Can’t really change much. Can’t change up your whole routine. That’s what you’ve been doing your whole career. So I feel like just come in, do what I’ve been doing the whole year. It’s not like every other game, but it means more. So, I just gotta come in, do my same routine, let the end take care of itself.”
Still, when the Knicks are at full strength — as they hope to be — Grimes fits unselfishly behind Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle and RJ Barrett on the field-goal attempts in the starting five. But in addition to his 36 points Wednesday, he had three steals, the second time he’s done that in the last six games. And for the Knicks in the upcoming first round of the playoffs that defensive assignment means trying to contain Cavaliers All-Star Donovan Mitchell.
It is one of those tasks, as Grimes can attest from their most recent meeting, in which you can play solid defense and still find yourself on highlight reels as the victim of a 42-point effort. In four games against the Knicks this season Mitchell averaged 31.8 points, connecting on 50.6% from the field, including 46.8% from beyond the arc.
“He’s savvy. He can do a lot with the ball,” Grimes said. “He can shoot the ball from super deep, so you gotta pressure him up. You gotta kinda lock him up. I’ll be watching more film, for sure . . . He’s been on a tear the past four or five games.”
“Obviously, someone who has the green light, has the freedom, that is one of the toughest people to guard and toughest to play,” Josh Hart said of Mitchell. “We know that. It’s not going to just be on Quentin, not just going to be on myself, or whoever is matched up on him. It’s going to be us as a team. I think that’s going to be the biggest thing with him is making it difficult.”
But Grimes is heading to the postseason playing as well as he has all season on the offensive end, too. After a five-game stretch averaging just 5.6 points per game, he has jumped up to 23.2 points per game over the last seven, connecting on 54.3% overall and 47.9% from beyond the arc.
“[It’s] just the way he’s playing,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “He’s playing all around, shooting the ball with a lot of confidence, obviously. Flying around the floor, guarding people, multiple efforts. But you could just see his confidence growing game by game. They’re rhythm shots and that’s what I like about the way we’re playing right now. We’re creating rhythm for each other, we’re creating advantages . . . When you play like that good things will come from that.
“I thought he had a terrific year for us last year. Had a really strong summer, strong fall and then he got hurt in training camp. So that added a slow start to the season. It’s just been a steady climb to the point where he’s clicking right now. He puts a ton of work into it, great student of the game. Really dedicated to his craft. We’re not surprised.”
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
