Quentin Grimes has seen his role in the Knicks’ rotation fluctuate throughout his second season in the league.
But his demeanor towards his playing time hasn’t wavered, nor has his confidence level on the court.
And it’s a big reason Grimes is peaking at the perfect time for the Knicks.
With Julius Randle and RJ Barrett sidelined, Grimes poured in 27 points — which tied Jalen Brunson for the team high — on 9-for-17 shooting from the field and a red-hot 6-for-11 from behind the arc while adding five assists in the Knicks’ 118-109 win over the Wizards on Sunday night.
The win meant the Knicks clinched a spot in the playoffs proper and will officially avoid the play-in tournament.
It continued Grimes’ re-emergence in recent games as the Knicks secured their second playoff appearance in three seasons.
In the past six games, Grimes has averaged 20.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.0 assists while shooting 52 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3-point range, playing 35.8 minutes a game.
He’s stepped up and been particularly instrumental in the Knicks’ current four-game winning streak as the team dealt with injuries to Brunson and Randle.
“He’s grown every single game,” Brunson, who has gotten a close look at Grimes’ development as his backcourt partner, said after Sunday night’s win. “Every single day. He’s another guy who comes in and gets his work in, always ready. He has a demeanor that we can never tell what’s going on with him. But he’s always ready to make big plays and help this team. He always has the right mindset.”
In February, Grimes’ playing time was slashed significantly after the Knicks acquired Josh Hart from the Trail Blazers and head coach Tom Thibodeau began to cut down his rotation.
In the first eight games after Hart was officially on the team and in the mix, Grimes played just 23.4 minutes a game and averaged 7.8 points per game.
He had averaged 30.7 minutes per game and 10.4 points per game before Hart’s arrival.
The Knicks won each of those first eight games as Hart, along with Thibodeau’s newly shortened rotation, helped the team find a new winning formula.
It appeared as if Grimes would have to find a way to contribute in a reduced role.
It was not dissimilar to how Grimes started the season, as he missed most of the preseason and the first six games of the regular season with a foot injury.
After he returned, Thibodeau was reluctant to immediately thrust him into a starting role, or even a significant role off the bench.
That quickly changed, however, as he leapfrogged Evan Fournier into the starting lineup.
In both cases, Grimes didn’t pout or complain, and hardly even blinked.
He stayed the course, and let his performances on the court prove how pivotal he is to the Knicks’ success.
“You see the commitment to the work, to the team, and you see how well he shoots the ball,” Thibodeau said after Sunday night’s win. “We track every shot. The volume of shots he puts up, you know he’s gonna be a very good offensive player.”
Grimes’ resurgence will only elevate in importance in the playoffs, which will be the 22-year-old’s first postseason appearance.
As Randle — assuming he is healthy and returns for the first round from his sprained ankle — and Brunson are only likely to see more double teams and attention from the defense in the first round, having knockdown shooters around them to space the floor becomes more critical.
If Grimes continues to shoot at his current elite rate, it’ll be difficult for defenders to help or sag off of him to try to contain Randle or Brunson.
Perhaps more importantly, Grimes has emerged as the Knicks’ best perimeter defender.
In a matchup with the Cavaliers, who are the Knicks’ likely first-round opponent as they look to secure the No. 5 seed, Grimes would likely be tasked with guarding and containing stars Donovan Mitchell or Darius Garland.
“To play the way he plays defensively, to take that challenge, we’re seeing him put the ball on the floor more, so we’re seeing a lot of really good things from him,” Thibodeau said. “That intensity is important for us.”