After developing into a contributing member of the New York Knicks starting lineup and solid two-way guard for a team in need of defensive punch last year, the third-season NBA leap many might have expected for Quentin Grimes has yet to materialize.
In fact, he is struggling this year, has seen his minutes cut and can’t get on the floor in the fourth quarter.
As Knicks reporter Tommy Beer noted on Saturday, “Quentin Grimes hasn’t logged a single second in the fourth quarter in any of the Knicks past five games.”
Quentin Grimes hasn’t logged a single second in the fourth quarter in any of the Knicks past five games.
Coach Tom Thibodeau acknowledged Grimes’ struggles here in the early season, but when asked about how Grimes should handle his situation, Thibs offered a pretty clear and strong message: Solider on.
“There’s ups and downs. Just be mentally tough,” Thibodeau said postgame, per the Daily News. “Play defense. Run the floor. You don’t know when it changes. It could change the next play. You get an easy bucket. A shot goes down. He’s a good player. So you’ve gotta navigate the good. You can navigate them when it gets tough.
“Soldier on. That’s it. Just keep going.”
Quentin Grimes Struggling After Breakout Year
Generally speaking, Grimes has had a hard time this season. He was a revelation last year, the kind of gritty role player the Knicks needed to help support their star scorers.
Playing excellent perimeter defense, Grimes also added 11.3 points per game and made 46.8% of his shots, including 38.6% of his 3-point shots. The Knicks were 7-9 before Grimes hit the starting five, but went 40-26 when he was in the lineup.
This year, Quentin Grimes has averaged just 6.2 points on 36.8% shooting, 34.9% shooting from the 3-point line. Grimes has only played in eight of the Knicks’ 19 fourth-quarters this year, for 5.1 minutes per outing. He is shooting 27.3% in the fourth, and 22.2% from the 3-point line.
It was obvious in the offseason when the Knicks signed Donte DiVincenzo as a free agent that someone in the backcourt rotation was going to see a drop in opportunities. So far, that’s been Grimes.
Typically, the eight players Thibodeau uses in the fourth quarter are: Mitchell Robinson, Isaiah Hartenstein and Julius Randle up front; Josh Hart and R.J. Barrett on the wing; Jalen Brunson, Immanuel Quickley and DiVincenzo in the backcourt.
DiVincenzo is shooting 48.4% from the 3-point line, and Quickley is shooting 40.0% in the fourth quarter, and leads the team with 6.0 fourth-quarter points per game. Brunson is the team’s best player. There just isn’t much room for Grimes.
Josh Hart’s Advice
Still, opportunities often present themselves as other players hit slumps or as injuries crop up in the NBA. That was the message from Thibodeau to Quentin Grimes, and it is much the same message that Josh hart has for him.
Hart, who has been dealing with his own early slump this season, said of Grimes (via the Daily News): “It’s tough. It’s tough. I know he’s in a really tough position. Just got to find ways to stay ready, to stay involved, to stay feeling good. I don’t know what’s going on through his mind. That can sometimes be very frustrating. He’s someone who takes the best matchup every game for 82 games. He’s someone who is very durable.
“That’s tough — especially when you feel like you’re giving everything you have. Just have to find ways to be aggressive, to be involved within the offense, within the system. And just try to make your way.”
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Knicks’ Tom Thibodeau Sends Strong Message to Benched Guard: ‘Soldier On’