This was the Quentin Grimes the Knicks had been waiting on.
The defensive stalwart broke out of a lengthy shooting slump together with his best offensive performance in weeks.
Grimes sank six 3-pointers and scored 22 points within the Knicks’ 142-118 rout of the Nets at a sold-out Garden.
“Julius [Randle] made numerous good plays after the switch, then they went to double him, and he got it out quick,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “But I believed that enabled Quentin to get into the sport, and Quentin got a great rhythm from that.”
He was hot early, hitting three 3-pointers within the opening quarter and never really cooled off in a confidence-building effort for the second-year guard.
The six triples were his most since hitting seven in an time beyond regulation loss to the Mavericks on Dec. 27.
“QG’s someone we’re going to want down the stretch,” Randle said. “Tonight, everybody felt good about how they played and contributed to the win.”
Grimes entered the All-Star break struggling from 3-point range, but he has begun to seek out his stroke.
Even before this performance, he had hit 5 of 12 from distance within the three previous games.
March has arrived and Derrick Rose continues to be a Knick, meaning he isn’t any longer eligible for the playoffs if he received a buyout and wanted to hitch a unique team.
That, nonetheless, isn’t something Rose has said interests him. It looks like he’ll be a Knick the remainder of the yr.
“He contributes in a big-time technique to our team. We know the way necessary he’s to the team,” Thibodeau said. “Whether he was a starter coming off an injury or coming off the bench or not within the rotation, he’s a really positive guy.
“He’s been through rather a lot. And going through adversity, he’s passed through all of it. He’s at all times lifting people up.”
Jalen Brunson wore a No. 88 Patrick Kane jersey to and from the victory. He grew up within the Chicago area and has been a fan of the latest Ranger for quite a while.
“He’s only a legend. I respect him rather a lot,” Brunson said. “I didn’t really have a private relationship [with him] in any respect, but just loads of respect for him.”
Knicks rookie Trevor Keels scored his first profession points in mop-up duty, sinking a 3-pointer in the ultimate seconds. He was the team’s second-round pick (forty second overall) out of Duke.
