A frustrated Quentin Grimes reached his boiling point after another scoreless game in the New York Knicks‘ 146-122 blowout loss to the Milwaukee Bucks that eliminated them in the NBA In-Season Tournament.
After Tuesday’s loss, a disgruntled Grimes griped about his diminished role with sharp comments pointed at his Knicks teammates and coach Tom Thibodeau.
“It feels like if I don’t hit the shot, I’m coming out,” Grimes said via New York Post. “So every shot I shoot probably weighs like 100 pounds if I don’t make it, and our defense, it ain’t cutting it, so I know I ain’t going back in.”
The under-pressure starting wing, expected to notch another level after a breakout sophomore year, had seen his minutes and touches dipped amid his shooting slump.
“It’s just hard when you go the whole quarter without touching the ball, the whole second quarter without touching the ball, and then you get one shot and you got to make it,” Grimes said. “So it’s tough going out there and just standing in the corner the whole game. Then you got to make the shot when you shoot the ball one or two times per game. It is what it is.”
Quentin Grimes’ Short Leash
Grimes took only one attempt – an open corner 3-pointer – early in the third quarter and missed it. Immanuel Quickley replaced him with 5:31 left in the third quarter. And his night was over.
It was the third straight game Grimes did not play in the fourth quarter. He has only played in eight fourth quarters out of 18 games he had seen action this season.
Despite laying another fat egg, what’s keeping him in the starting lineup is his defense. He was the Knicks’ best defender against Bucks’ star Damian Lillard, who only hit 1 of 5 shots against him.
Tom Thibodeau Defends Quentin Grimes
Despite Grimes’ pointed comments, Thibodeau still came to his defense.
“I look at how the unit is functioning. And so, I would say tonight, we didn’t play well and to put it on Quentin is not fair,” Thibodeau said postgame via New York Post. “I don’t think we really had anyone who played really well. So, we’re capable of a lot better. You win together; you lose together. Just focus on the improvement and getting ready for the next game.”
Even after Tuesday’s blowout loss, the Knicks starting lineup, the second-most used lineup in the league this season, remains a plus-6.4 in net rating.
Quentin Grimes’ Usage Rate
Grimes had the lowest usage rate among all Knicks players who played in their last three games with 7.6%, per Statmuse. During this rough stretch, Grimes had two scoreless games and shot 1 of 9 overall.
Grimes’ usage rate has gone down from 14.4% last year to just 11.7% this season. The third-year wing offered some explanation.
“I just know last year RJ [Barrett] missed a lot of games. Jalen [Brunson] missed some games. So I had the ball in my hands a little bit more. I knew I wasn’t coming out,” Grimes said via New York Post. “I knew I was going to be in there and get more shots, play the whole first quarter, the whole third quarter. I knew I had opportunities to get the ball and get my shots up. Now it’s just a matter if the ball come my way, really.”
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Frustrated Quentin Grimes Takes a Shot at Knicks Coach, Ball-Dominant Teammates