Quentin Grimes isn't making shots for the New York Knicks. He's not getting them either.
Quentin Grimes says he feels like if he misses a shot he’s getting pulled from the game: “Every shot I shoot feels like it probably weighs 100 pounds.”
— Kristian Winfield (@Krisplashed) December 6, 2023
In Tuesday's loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, Grimes didn't take a shot until the third quarter - a three-pointer that missed. He's scored a mere 16 points in his last seven games despite starting every one of those contests. Grimes is averaging four shots in those games and he's shot 5-for-28 overall. He's taken 3/4 of those shots from three-point range, and rarely handles the ball.
It's a big departure from last season, when Grimes averaged 11.3 points and 8.5 shots per game. 67.6% of his shots came from beyond the arc, but this year that's jumped to 81.6%.
This means that Grimes' teammates aren't passing to him, but he's also not cutting to the hoop, often standing still on offense while his defender ignores him.
"I feel like I just gotta get more shots,” Grimes told reporters Tuesday. “You can’t get out of a rhythm unless you shoot the ball. So I feel like I’m coming in and I know I’m probably only gonna get one or two shots and it’s gonna be tough because I’ve gotta make them or I know I’m coming out."
He also has other players pushing him for minutes off the bench, namely Immanuel Quickley and free-agent acquisition Donte DiVincenzo. The Knicks' starting lineup also has a lot of dribblers - Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle and R.J. Barrett - playing alongside Grimes.
It could turn around if Grimes starts making shots. But it's starting to feel like if and when New York trades for a star, Grimes will be one of the pieces heading out of town.
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