Head coach Tom Thibodeau was asked about that possibility after Friday’s win, saying that finding the right groups of players to have on the floor together is what really matters, as does having the right lineup to finish a game.
"There’s always thought with everything. And because someone doesn’t start, that’s really not that important to me,” Thibodeau said. “It’s having groups that play well together and you can always finish with the people who you feel will always give you the best chance to win the game. So, whatever the game calls for you can try to take advantage of that.
“But we’re always looking at different lineups and what works best and how guys complement each other. So, he’s going to have a significant role. But we’re going to need everyone. So, tonight was his night and Sunday afternoon it could be somebody else’s."
Quickley ended up playing just under 25 minutes on Friday, which was about two minutes more than starting point guard Elfrid Payton was on the floor.
New York outscored Cleveland by 19 while Quickley was on the court, which included a stretch where the Knicks rebounded from an early eight-point first-quarter deficit.
Nights like Friday fuel a push for Quickley to start from some Knicks fans on social media. The rookie was asked on Friday if he cares about starting. It sounds like he doesn’t.
“I really just do whatever the coaches ask me to do, and right now that’s coming off the bench,” Quickley said. “When I come into the game, just giving energy, playing my game which is playing hard, being unselfish, being aggressive when I have to, playing defense and really just doing whatever the team needs me to do to get wins. So that’s the most important thing right now.
“I think we’re the nine or eight seed right, so we’re trying to get into the playoffs this year, and just doing whatever my teammates need me to do to achieve that.”
After games like Friday’s, it seems clear that Quickley should be starting over Payton. But there are a few factors to consider: Is Quickley’s success due, in part, to his fit with the second unit? Can he defend starting point guards? Will his presence change the dynamic of the starting lineup in a way that’s detrimental to RJ Barrett or Julius Randle? Also, considering how the Knicks have played thus far, should Thibodeau and his staff be given the benefit of the doubt regarding the decisions they make with Quickley and the lineups?
The answers to those questions all depend on your point of view.
But whether Quickley starts or not, one thing is already clear: Just 20 games into his young NBA career, Quickley has already earned the trust of Thibodeau, which doesn’t come easy.
“You always want to have trust between a player and a coach,” said Quickley. “If a coach trusts you, that means you’ve put in the work and you’ve worked hard, and I feel like I’ve done that and will continue to do that, just work hard and stay in the gym and continue to get better, whether it’s film or weight-lifting.
“Anything that I can do to continue to strive to get better, continue to earn the coaches’ trust, not only [Thibodeau] but the whole coaching staff and my teammates, I’m going to continue to do that.”
BULLISH ON BARRETT
Barrett had another fantastic outing on Friday. The second-year guard had 24 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals. New York outscored Cleveland by 27 when Barrett was on the court.
“I think he’s playing with a lot of poise. From the beginning of the season the rebounding and the playmaking has been there,” Thibodeau said. “He’s getting to his spots. He’s making the right reads, whether he should shoot or pass. He can score in so many different ways - he can score in transition, can score in the pick and roll, he scores off the handoff, he can score in the post, he can score off catch and shoot but also to [be able to] create and put pressure on the defense, force the defense to collapse and then make the right read and open up the three-point game for us.
"So I really like the way he’s playing. He’s playing very well. He’s playing very unselfishly and he’s playing both sides of the ball.”
Barrett and Randle are thriving on the court together, something that didn’t happen often enough for New York last year.
Here’s Barrett on some of the factors behind he and Randle playing well together this season:
