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It has been a tough stretch of training camp and preseason for New York Knicks guard Quentin Grimes.
Grimes hasn’t been a full participant on the court ever since he was seen wearing a walking boot during the second day of training camp. The sophomore guard has since been out of the walking boot and participated in the open practice at Columbia University.
Grimes will not play against the Indiana Pacers on October 12, head coach Tom Thibodeau said, according to a tweet by Ian Begley of SNY. It will be the third straight preseason game Grimes misses because of a foot issue.
Begley reported that Grimes did practice on October 11 but wasn’t a full participant, indicating that the 23-year-old still has some ways to go before returning to game action.
Before the setback, Grimes was expected to compete with veteran Evan Fournier for the starting shooting guard spot after his strong Summer League performance. Thibodeau has said that Fournier is the favorite to start this season.
He averaged 22.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists in July, showing improvement from his rookie season and displaying ability to handle the ball and score off the dribble. Last year, his rookie season, Grimes showed he can be a 3-point specialist, shooting just over 38% from beyond the arc, and a valuable defender.
“I take pride in defense,” Grimes said October 10 during a post-practice press conference. “That’s where you start the offense for the most part. For some people, when their offense gets going, their defense picks up. I feel like if you can get going with defense, the offense can take off more. Taking the challenge of guarding whoever the best player is gets me going when I wake up and we have to play a team like that.”
Will Fournier or Reddish Start Against the Pacers?
Grimes’ absence against the Pacers in Indiana creates an opening in the starting lineup.
Fournier started in the first preseason game against the Detroit Pistons. In 18 minutes of action, Fournier produced 5 points, 2 assists, a steal and a block. In the second preseason game, against the Pacers at Madison Square Garden, Cam Reddish started, giving Fournier a rest after his run in EuroBasket.
Reddish, who scored 3 points on 1-of-6 shooting in 11 minutes of action during the Pistons game, struggled against the Pacers, scoring only 2 points and shooting 14% from the field. He also had 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals.
Thibodeau has not said who will start against the Pacers on October 12.
Knicks Matchup Against Pacers
For a second straight game, the Knicks will play the Pacers, this time at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indiana. In the first game, the Knicks won 131-114. Power forward Obi Toppin scored a game-high 24 points, knocking down four 3-pointers. The game’s highlight featured Toppin blocking a jump shot and then breaking away for a between-the-legs dunk.
RJ Barrett also knocked down four 3-point shots and finished with 18 points. Jalen Brunson had another productive outing in his second game as a Knick, scoring 17 points and dishing 4 assists. Julius Randle finished with 15 points and 7 rebounds.
The Knicks shot well from distance and the free throw line, knocking down 40% of their 3-pointers (17-of-42). The team also shot nearly perfect from the free-throw line, making 26 out of 27 from the charity stripe.
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