More great work from Katz, a couple of the highlights:
Fournier is the incumbent. He’s the veteran. He set the Knicks’ franchise record for most 3-pointers in a single season in 2021-22 and is inside a first unit that desperately needs long-range shooting. “He earned it,” Grimes said. “He was the guy that had it coming in. I had to prove myself. I didn’t get the opportunity to do that. But Evan’s been my guy since Day 1. Since I got here, he’s been teaching me.”
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But the Knicks have to factor in the defense, too. Brunson fights hard defensively but isn’t big. He and Fournier could get punished against physical backcourts. They trust Grimes against long wings or diminutive guards. Great defenders are inherently more worthwhile when they start than when they come off the bench, too, since you want them guarding the opponent’s best player. Grimes’ defense isn’t nearly as valuable if he spends most of his time manning a backup point guard instead of Middleton.
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“You go in with an open mind and you get what you earn,” Thibodeau said. “I didn’t know we were gonna play (Immanuel) Quickley his rookie year. So, he came in and he played well. It started in practice and carried over to the games.”
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More great work from Katz, a couple of the highlights:
Fournier is the incumbent. He’s the veteran. He set the Knicks’ franchise record for most 3-pointers in a single season in 2021-22 and is inside a first unit that desperately needs long-range shooting.
“He earned it,” Grimes said. “He was the guy that had it coming in. I had to prove myself. I didn’t get the opportunity to do that. But Evan’s been my guy since Day 1. Since I got here, he’s been teaching me.”
—
But the Knicks have to factor in the defense, too. Brunson fights hard defensively but isn’t big. He and Fournier could get punished against physical backcourts. They trust Grimes against long wings or diminutive guards. Great defenders are inherently more worthwhile when they start than when they come off the bench, too, since you want them guarding the opponent’s best player. Grimes’ defense isn’t nearly as valuable if he spends most of his time manning a backup point guard instead of Middleton.
—
“You go in with an open mind and you get what you earn,” Thibodeau said. “I didn’t know we were gonna play (Immanuel) Quickley his rookie year. So, he came in and he played well. It started in practice and carried over to the games.”