Kevin Durant Criticizes Quentin Grimes After Knicks’ Victory Over Suns

After the New York Knicks handed the Phoenix Suns a 139-122 defeat, Kevin Durant expressed frustrations and took a shot at Knicks’ player Quentin Grimes. Durant specifically criticized Grimes’ three-point shooting, highlighting his perceived inability to draw fouls and lack of assists.

Durant remarked, “Shooters, get up into ’em, make ’em dribble. Like, what’s his name, Quentin Grimes, he can’t get six 3s up. He doesn’t dribble at all. He doesn’t have any free throws on the season, he doesn’t have any assists it feels like but he’s getting 3s up? That’s the stuff we can’t have. It’s frustrating but I think we’ll figure it out.”

Despite Durant’s critique, Grimes made a significant impact in limited minutes against the Suns. Playing for 15 minutes, he connected on 50% of his three-point attempts, scoring nine points and contributing to a +12 rating for the game. Grimes’ performance, albeit brief, seemed to bother Durant, but the veteran player acknowledged the Knicks’ ability to make life difficult for the Suns.

Quentin Grimes has seen reduced playing time recently, losing the starting two-guard position. Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau attributed the decision to various situations and strong play from other players. While Grimes has areas to improve, such as playing with more physicality and drawing fouls, his impact on the game against the Suns demonstrated his value.

Durant and the Suns won’t face Grimes and the Knicks for the rest of the 2023-24 NBA season, making the impact of Durant’s criticisms temporary. Grimes, a young player with room to grow, is likely to use such feedback as motivation for improvement as he continues his NBA journey.