Throughout the marathon that is the NBA regular season, there are going to be some hiccups along the way. No team is perfect and there will be obstacles to overcome, whether it be injuries or players not being happy with their role on the team. How you respond to those issues is what separates the good teams from the bad ones.
The New York Knicks are looking to cement their status as a good one. But, their first obstacle of the season arose last week. Following their loss to the Milwaukee Bucks in the Knockout Round of the NBA In-Season Tournament, Quentin Grimes voiced his frustrations.
Things had reached a breaking point for him, as he was not happy with his role in the offense. There was a lot of pressure on him, as he felt he needed to make every shot he attempted or run the risk of being benched by head coach Tom Thibodeau.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Quentin Grimes, Donte DiVincenzo, Tom Thibodeau, New York Knicks Updates
As the starting shooting guard, Grimes did have a very tough job. He was, at best, the fourth option on the court behind Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle and RJ Barrett. His teammates acknowledged that much, saying that they had to do a better job of getting him involved. It was impossible for Grimes to get into any kind of rhythm with how sporadic his touches were.
So, Thibodeau opted to make a change to his lineup. Grimes was moved to the second unit and replaced by Donte DiVincenzo in the starting lineup. He has been a starter in 83 consecutive regular season games that he had played in for the Knicks, so it was fair to wonder if it would take him some time to get going.
Instead, he has hit the ground running. While the sample size hasn’t been too big, Grimes looks to be taking to his new role very well. In his first game off the bench against the Boston Celtics last weekend, he scored 13 points with two assists and one rebound in 19 minutes.
That was the first time since November 15th against the Atlanta Hawks that Grimes was able to score in double-figures. He now made it two games in a row, as he poured in a season-high 19 points against the Toronto Raptors on Monday night.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Quentin Grimes, Donte DiVincenzo, Tom Thibodeau, New York Knicks Updates
His confidence looks to be back, as Grimes was very aggressive looking for his shot offensively. He made the most of his opportunities, knocking down 7-of-11 shot attempts and 5-of-7 on 3-pointers.
In his two games on the bench, Grimes has shot 12-of-21 overall and 8-of-14 on 3-pointers. In the first 18 games of the season, he had double-digit shot attempts only two times. Moving to the second unit has not only put the ball in his hands more, but he is thriving with the extra opportunities.
Being moved to the bench is a move that some players would not take well, as they would see it as a demotion. Grimes has taken it in stride, accepting the decision by coach Thibodeau and making the most of it. New York has had one of the most productive bench units in the NBA this season and Grimes looks like he will fit in seamlessly swapping spots with DiVincenzo.
Want the latest NBA analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click Here. Follow NBA Analysis Network on Twitter and Facebook.
Interested in reading the latest storylines and analysis in the NFL? Check out our partner NFL Analysis Network.
