Knicks Notes: Quickley, Thibodeau, DiVincenzo, Second Unit

Despite seeing his minutes take a dip thus far in 2023/24, Knicks reserve shooting guard Immanuel Quickley is still hoping for a hyper-efficient shooting season with New York, writes Zach Braziller of The New York Post.

Quickley played 28.9 minutes per contest in 2022/23, en route to finishing second in the league’s Sixth Man of the Year voting. This season, he’s averaging 24.1 MPG.

“I want to try to get over 40 [percent] from 3, for sure,” Quickley said. “Overall [from the field], I want to be over 50 [percent]… If you set a goal for yourself, you’re going to try to get it. So I’m going to try to get it.”

Through his first six contests this year, the 6’3″ wing is averaging a career-high 15.1 PPG on .473/.326/.864 shooting.

There’s more out of New York:

  • Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau believes that three of his key reserves have starter potential, and has applauded their willingness to play off the bench for New York, Braziller adds. “The one thing we ask everybody is to sacrifice,” Thibodeau said. “You could make a case that Quick is a starter, Donte [DiVincenzo] is a starter, Josh [Hart] is a starter. They’re sacrificing that for the team.” Fewer minutes means fewer touches, and thus lower stats, and a reserve role also can reflect negatively on a player angling for his next deal. It’s a testament to the team’s buy-in that these wings are open to the gig.
  • New Knicks guard DiVincenzo is adjusting splendidly to his new role on the team’s bench, opines Braziller in a separate piece. “I think that’s pretty special,” teammate Quickley said of DiVincenzo’s fit on the New York bench. “When you can have guys connect and gel right off the bat without much time together is always a sign of something that can be special.” The 6’4″ wing is averaging 7.3 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 1.6 APG, and 1.0 SPG in 19.4 MPG.
  • The Knicks have benefited from terrific production from their second unit, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. New York has been playing starter RJ Barrett alongside Quickley, DiVincenzo, Josh Hart and Isaiah Hartenstein. That lineup has compiled a +24.0 net rating across 20 minutes together. “I feel like no matter who’s in there… we have a system as far as what we do,” Quickley said. “And whoever’s in there, we all understand how we want to play. And that’s fast, get stops and run. That’s when we are at our best.”
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