Grimes shines vs. Knicks

Quentin Grimes got his NBA start in New York and became a well-liked, respected contributor for the Knicks in his three-plus seasons with them.

On Wednesday, he sliced up his old team like the Thanksgiving turkey that the Mavericks will carve on Thursday.

Grimes pestered the Knicks at both ends of the court as the Mavericks got a major boost from their energizer and powered away to a 129-114 victory at American Airlines Center.

It wasn’t a massive numbers night for Grimes. But it was a thing of beauty in the way that he helped the Mavericks spring free to a 46-22 lead early in the second quarter, a cushion they never surrendered in winning for the sixth time in seven games to improve to 11-8 on the season.

The Knicks fell to 10-8.

Grimes, in the starting lineup because Luka Dončić remained sidelined with a sprained right wrist, anchored a defense that limited the Knicks to 26.2 percent shooting in the first half, including only 2-of-16 from three-point land (12.5 percent).

One sequence in particular capsulized the night for Grimes when he hit a three-pointer, defended a Knicks’ possession on the other end and grabbed the rebound, then moments later crumpled OG Anunoby to the floor with a crossover move that netted an easy layup and a 38-20 Mavericks’ lead early in the second quarter.

After that, it was mostly window dressing for the Mavericks.

It wasn’t the first time Grimes has played against New York, which traded him last season to Detroit. One of the six games Grimes played for the Pistons after the deal was against New York. He scored 14 points.

But he was far more impactful on Wednesday. Grimes has found a new home in Dallas and has flourished so far as a jack-of-all-trades both coming off the bench and starting, as he did Wednesday.

“He’s a true pro,” Kidd said of Grimes. “He understands the game at a high level. His defense is one of the best that we’ve had being able to guard the ball, especially in the pick and roll.

“And on the offensive end, his ability to drive and get to the rim and also be able to knock down the three (has been good). Being new, he just needs some time, but he’s done an incredible job here.”

Knicks’ coach Tom Thibodeau became a big fan of Grimes’ in his time with the Knicks. And he’s not surprised that the 6-5 Houston native has found quick success in Dallas.

“The big thing for Quentin is his health,” Thibodeau said. “He’s an elite defender. He can shoot the ball. He’s great at transition. He’s a really good player.

“Like with most players, each year he’s added experience. He’s a gym rat, so he’s always going to get better. He’s got to learn his teammates, but I think this is a great system for him. He’s a terrific player and a great person as well.”

It was a nationally televised matchup on ESPN between two well-regarded teams. The Knicks are one of the favorites in the Eastern Conference, much like the Mavericks are in the West.

The difference is that New York has one big hurdle in Boston, the reigning NBA champion. Other than the Celtics, no other team in the East is considered head and shoulders above the Knicks.

In the West, the Mavericks have several big dogs that they will have to fend off if they are to get back to the NBA Finals, where they fell to the Celtics in five games.

On this night, the first half was a prime example of the perceived difference in strength between the West and the East. Bear in mind that the Knicks won at Denver on Monday.

But against the Mavericks, they were outdistanced early and never had enough juice to make a serious comeback bid. They never got closer than a dozen points in the second half and were behind by far more than that much of the time.

It was a reunion of sorts for Jalen Brunson, the former Maverick who helped them to the Western Conference finals in 2022. And Brunson had a superb game with 37 points.

But this was Grimes’ night to shine. He finished with 21 points, seven rebounds, two assists and a steal and was clearly the catalyst for the Mavericks, who were plus-16 when Grimes was on the floor. He led the team in that department.

@ESefko