Tag: Immanuel Quickley

Tom Thibodeau channeled Yogi Berra while hyping up Immanuel Quickley after a big Knicks win

“Winning is way more fun than fun is fun.”

The New York Knicks have won nine games in a row since trading for Josh Hart, and they look like one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.

New York guard Immanuel Quickley, who recorded a career-high 38 points during a victory over the Celtics on Sunday, has shown why he deserves to win the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year.

According to The Athletic’s Fred Katz, the vibes surrounding the team are “immaculate” and there is a “wave of cheeriness” in the locker room. Even Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau, who is sometimes thought of as a bit of a curmudgeon, seems happy with what he has seen.

Here is the full quote from Thibodeau:

“Quickley’s my guy … You celebrate your team. You celebrate winning. Those are the things that you celebrate. I want our team to have win. I want them to have joy. But I don’t want it to get lost and I don’t want it to get twisted: Winning is way more fun than fun is fun.”

Let’s take a second and let that sink in one more time.

Are you ready?

OK. Here we go:

“Winning is way more fun than fun is fun.”

That’s legitimately brilliant stuff from Thibodeau right there! It almost sounds like a Yogi Berra quote.

He is absolutely right, too. It’s great to see that Quickley plays basketball with so much joy. He was skipping around the court and dancing after every basket he made.

But that translates even better when the Knicks are winning basketball games, and that’s exactly what happens when Quickley is on the court.

Quickley has the second-best point differential among all players in the league during games he has come off the bench. The Knicks are 35-17 (.673) when Quickley logs at least 22 minutes and 4-10 (.285) in all other games.

So as long as the Knicks keep playing Quickley, they’re probably going to keep having fun. And remember: Winning is more fun than fun is fun.

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Immanuel Quickley’s incredible recent play makes him the clear choice to win Sixth Man of the Year

Here is why the Knicks guard deserves to win the John Havlicek Trophy.

The New York Knicks are in the midst of a six-game win streak and one of the reasons is the re-emergence of combo guard Immanuel Quickley.

Quickley looked comfortable and confident running the second unit for the Knicks. He scored 23 points (7-13 FG, 4-7 3P, 5-6 FT) while also adding 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal. It was a massive statement against Boston, who have the best defense in the NBA in 2022-23.

Perhaps more important: The Knicks secured a win over the Celtics and the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year frontrunner Malcolm Brogdon (-225) and made a case for why Quickley (+4000) is a smart bet as an underdog.

In fact, after the performance, the odds shifted for Quickley to win 6MOY from +25000 to a much more reasonable futures bet. That suggests an increased implied probability from 0.40 percent to 2.44 percent — so he is now considered more than six times as likely.

While the league typically hands this hardware to the player who scores the most points off the bench, it’s also important to recognize that the respective teams have also played well when the recipients are on the court.

Since the league began tracking plus-minus in 1996-97, in fact, none of the winners of the NBA’s 6MOY winners have finished in the red.

Among the favorites this year, however, not everyone is meeting those qualifications. The Pacers are losing the minutes with Bennedict Mathurin by 70 points, the Warriors are losing during minutes with Jordan Poole by 58 points, the Clippers are losing the minutes with Norman Powell by 11 points, and the Hawks are losing the minutes with Bogdan Bogdanovic by 3 points.

Powell (-3.4), Mathurin (-2.5), Poole (-2.0), Russell Westbrook (-1.5), and Bogdanovic (-0.1), would each have the lowest net rating on record for any Sixth Man of the Year. Dallas’ Christian Wood (0.5), Sacramento’s Malik Monk (1.1), and Milwaukee’s Bobby Portis (1.4) would also edge out Lou Williams’ campaign (1.6) for the Clippers.

Brogdon is the frontrunner to win the hardware, but even he would have the fifth-worst net rating (3.3) for a 6MOY since 1996-97. The Celtics play far better when is off compared to when he is on.

Meanwhile, per PBPStats, New York is currently outscoring opponents by 6.4 points per 100 possessions when Quickley is on the court. But they have been outscored by 1.9 points per 100 possessions when he is not playing.

Compare that to Quickley’s collegiate teammate and fellow 6MOY candidate, Tyrese Maxey. Philadelphia has outscored opponents by 4.3 points per 100 possessions when he is on the floor but they have also outscored opponents by 3.4 points per 100 during the minutes when he is not.

Philadelphia is a good team with or without Maxey. New York, however, relies tremendously on Quickley for its success. In fact, only one player in the entire league has a better raw plus-minus than Quickley (210) during games in which the player did not start.

The increased trust in Quickley has almost directly translated to winning. Per Tommy Beer:

“Over the first 23 games of this season, Immanuel Quickley averaged less than 23 minutes a night. NY was three games below .500 (10-13) in those 23 contests. In the 40 games since, Quickley has averaged 31 minutes a night. NY is 12 games above .500 (26-14) in those 40 games.”

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One of the main factors for the success is that their defensive unit essentially falls apart during the minutes when Quickley is not on the court. They allow an additional 11.5 points per 100 when he is off relative to when he is on, per Cleaning The Glass, which is the best in the NBA (minimum: 300 minutes).

For comparison, we can look at those who have the most playing time (minimum: 1,100 minutes) this season. The only players even close to Quickley are Defensive Player of the Year frontrunner Jaren Jackson Jr. (8.7) and 2017 DPOY winner Draymond Green (8.4).

He is considered the “defensive director” and vocal leader for the Knicks.

Some of the catch-all advanced stats also offer a strong candidacy for the New York guard, too.

To put this in perspective, we looked at every player in the league who has started fewer than 44.0 percent of games for their team (which is the most ever by a 6MOY) while logging at least 19.0 minutes per game (the least by a 6MOY) so far this year.

(Note that Maxey has started 55.0 percent of games for the 76ers and could rejoin the starting lineup soon.)

Quickley has added 4.3 wins for the Knicks, according to the metric Stable Player Impact (SPI). Among the other players who fit those qualifications, Quickley leads the pack. He leads these players in Dunksandthrees.com’s Estimated Wins (4.6), too.

He ranks second-best within this group for Bball-Index.com’s LEBRON Wins Above Replacement, second-best in RAPTOR WAR, and third-best in ESPN’s WAR.

If all of the advanced metrics are saying the same thing — that Quickley is positively impacting his team in quantifiable ways — it is more than worth it to start paying attention.

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All the players linked to the Knicks in trade rumors

The Knicks are in a great position to make a deal. The type of trade, whether big or small, buying or selling, or financially motivated or not, remains to be seen. As mentioned in HoopsHype’s trade guide, New York’s stability this season, and its …

The Knicks are in a great position to make a deal. The type of trade, whether big or small, buying or selling, or financially motivated or not, remains to be seen. As mentioned in HoopsHype’s trade guide, New York’s stability this season, and its combination of assets and moveable contracts, put them in a position to be buyers ahead of the trade deadline.

They have enough assets with their combination of tradeable first-round picks (up to four of their own and four heavily protected ones from other teams) and young promising prospects like Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin to trade for just about anyone. That was proven last offseason when they were close to acquiring Donovan Mitchell but held a line and ultimately fell short. The Knicks clearly want to acquire an All-Star while not giving up too much so they’ll have enough assets left to get more upgrades later.

Will New York’s pursuit of the next available star limit how aggressive they are ahead of the trade deadline? It’s possible. For example, according to Michael Scotto, the Knicks are unwilling to part with a first-round pick to get off Evan Fournier. He is owed $18.9 million for next season and is no longer in the team’s rotation. This could signal that while the team will be on the lookout for trades that improve the roster for this season, they won’t part with premium assets that would hurt their prospects in a future trade for an All-Star.

Below is a hierarchy of players they’ve been linked to.

‘There’s no improvement’: Rockets crushed by Julius Randle, turnovers on New Year’s Eve

“There’s no improvement,” veteran guard Eric Gordon said of the 2022-23 #Rockets after a New Year’s Eve loss to the Knicks with 25 turnovers and a season-worst 37.7% shooting clip.

New York scored 37 points off 25 Houston turnovers in Saturday’s matchup, leading to a 108-88 victory (box score) for the visitors in Toyota Center’s annual New Year’s Eve matchup. The Knicks (19-18) snapped their five-game losing streak, while the Rockets (10-26) enter 2023 having lost eight of their most recent nine games.

“There’s no improvement,” veteran guard Eric Gordon said postgame from a frustrated home locker room. Gordon had 12 points and 3 assists in 27 minutes on 5-of-10 shooting and 2-of-4 on 3-pointers (50.0%), though he did turn the ball over four times.

“Same old thing all year,” Gordon elaborated. We have a small margin for error. … It’s a lot of things. It’s mindset. You got to play for one another. Do what’s right by your teammates. If you do that, it’d be more fun. You give yourself a better chance to win.”

Veteran forward Julius Randle led the Knicks, who turned the ball over only 10 times, with 35 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists on 9-of-20 shooting (45.0% FG) and 5-of-13 from 3-point range (38.5%). Third-year guard Immanuel Quickley added 27 points and 7 assists.

Kevin Porter Jr. led the Rockets with 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists on 7-of-12 shooting (58.3%) and 4-of-8 on 3-pointers (50.0%). Backcourt mate Jalen Green added 16 points and 3 assists, though he shot just 4-of-12 from the field (33.3%) and 3-of-8 on 3-pointers (37.5%). Porter and Green had a game-high five turnovers apiece.

Rookie forward Tari Eason grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds in 24 minutes off the bench, and he also added three steals. However, Eason shot just 4-of-11 from the field (36.4%), mirroring a night when the Rockets shot just 37.7% collectively and 30.4% on 3-pointers. By percentage, it was Houston’s coldest night of the 2022-23 NBA season.

Alperen Sengun sat out for the Rockets with lower back pain, while Jalen Brunson was scratched for New York with right hip soreness.

Scroll on for highlights, analysis, and postgame interview reaction from Toyota Center. Houston returns to action in the same building on Monday night versus Dallas, with tipoff at 7:00 p.m. Central.

TyTy Washington reveals advice given by Immanuel Quickley

Washington revealed that he had the opportunity to link up with former Wildcats standout Immanuel Quickley.

TyTy Washington is poised to become one of the next Kentucky players drafted into the NBA, and the projected first-rounder tapped into that vast Wildcats network for some advice.

Washington revealed this week after working out with the New York Knicks that he had the opportunity to link up with Immanuel Quickley, who was the 25th overall pick in 2020. He picked his brain some on the NBA and what he can expect at the next level, according to SNY.

I know Quickley kind of personally. He came back to Lexington, and we worked out, played 1-on-1 and 5-on-5. We talk a whole bunch. He was telling me what to expect and how it’s different from college in the NBA.

Kentucky head coach John Calipari has seen 43 former players selected in the draft over the last 12 seasons, including 32 first-round picks, with Washington slated to join that group. He emerged as a standout last season and enjoyed great success as a freshman.

He was voted to the All-SEC second team after averaging 12.5 points, 3.9 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 31 games. He led the SEC in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.43) and broke John Wall’s single-game record with 17 assists on Jan. 8.

The 6-foot-3 guard is widely considered to be a first-round pick and is projected to be taken in the 16-22 at the moment. In addition to the Knicks, Washington has also worked out for the Oklahoma City Thunder, New Orleans Pelicans and San Antonio Spurs among other teams.

Washington brings a strong scoring ability to the next level and is a player that can get others involved while taking care of the ball. He projects to check a lot of boxes for teams and is hoping to become the latest Wildcats player to achieve success in the NBA.

The NBA draft will take place on June 23.

This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!

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Austin Reaves’ triple-double, Obi Toppin’s 42 and other wild lines from the NBA’s regular-season finale

Everyone decided to score 40 points on the final day of the NBA’s regular season.

The end of the NBA’s regular season is always a joy.

You get your share of teams playing with something on the line (especially with the recent introduction of the play-in tournament), teams who are resting stars ahead of the playoffs, and others who are shamelessly tanking for draft positioning.

The latter two are obviously the most fun because it leads to things like Andre Ingram being called up from the NBA G League in 2018, Grayson Allen scoring 40 points in the 2017 finale, or Kobe’s 60-point farewell.

Nevertheless, the season’s final day traditionally leaves us with plenty to talk about. This past Sunday was no different.

Here’s everything that took place:

Reaction: Daniel Theis breaks out, but weary Rockets outgunned by Immanuel Quickley, Knicks

Daniel Theis had 22 points and 10 rebounds, but the weary Rockets couldn’t keep up with the firepower of Immanuel Quickley (7-of-10 on 3-pointers) and the Knicks in Thursday’s home loss.

Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley buried the Rockets with a barrage of 3-pointers, leading visiting New York to a 116-103 victory (box score) on Thursday at Toyota Center. Quickley connected on 7-of-10 from behind the arc, which wasn’t far behind Houston’s 11 treys as a team.

Reserve big man Mitchell Robinson also made a big impact for the Knicks (13-16) with 17 points (8-of-8 shooting) and 9 rebounds. In particular, his defense helped fluster Houston’s rookie big man, Alperen Sengun, into just 1 point (0-of-3 rebounds) and 2 rebounds in 15 minutes — easily one of the worst outings of his young NBA career.

The rebuilding Rockets (9-20) were led by veteran center Daniel Theis, who started in place of the injured Christian Wood and had his best game of the 2021-22 season with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 blocks. Wood, who has missed two games with left knee tendinitis, is expected to be back in the lineup when Houston returns to action Saturday in Detroit.

It remains to be seen what Wood’s return means to the future playing time of Theis, who had largely fallen out of the rotation due to Houston’s struggles with floor spacing when using dual-center lineups with Wood and Theis. Moreover, with Sengun’s minutes and development prioritized as a backup, there isn’t an easy way for Theis to play if he does not start. Now that Dec. 15 has passed, Theis (as an offseason signing with the Rockets) is eligible to be traded elsewhere at any time.

Other Houston players in double-figures included:

  • Jae’Sean Tate: 20 points (6-of-8 shooting, 2-of-4 on 3-pointers), 6 rebounds in 29 minutes
  • Garrison Mathews: 17 points (4-of-10 shooting), 7 rebounds in 32 minutes
  • KJ Martin: 15 points (6-of-10 shooting), 5 rebounds, 5 assists in 29 minutes
  • Josh Christopher: 14 points (5-of-9 shooting, 2-of-3 on 3-pointers), 3 assists, 2 steals in 33 minutes

The Rockets were without three expected starters in Wood, Jalen Green (left hamstring strain), and Kevin Porter Jr. (left thigh contusion), as well as a veteran reserve in Danuel House Jr. (left ankle sprain). Making matters worse, sharpshooter Armoni Brooks played only 9 minutes on Thursday due to left ankle soreness and did not return.

Between widespread injuries and a rough stretch of five games in seven nights, including back-to-back games the last two nights in two different cities, head coach Stephen Silas indicated postgame that fatigue was potentially a factor for his young team. The Rockets rallied back from a 17-point deficit to take a brief lead late in the third quarter, but the comeback ultimately ran out of steam early in the fourth.

The Rockets have one day without a game to recover before returning to play on Saturday in Detroit, albeit with a much earlier-than-usual start time of 11:00 a.m. CST. That game kicks off a five-game road trip. Until then, scroll on for highlights and postgame reaction from Thursday.

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Three players to watch to use the Kemba Walker Traded Player Exception with

Boston has become adept with the use of non-simultaneous trades, and have three of note to work with.

The Boston Celtics have become pioneers in the art of juggling traded player exceptions (TPEs) in recent years in order to maintain cap flexibility and manage their overall luxury tax burden, deftly using second-round draft picks to allow the franchise to add or deal away players as needed.

The team currently possesses three such TPEs of note on top of two smaller ones (for $500,000 from the Moses Brown trade and for $370,564 from the Jeff Teague trade) which are unlikely to be used given that such exceptions are the space into which a team completes a non-simultaneous trade. That means any player incoming will need to make no more than $100,000 above the dollar amount in each TPE, which cannot be combined or added to otherwise.

Apart from those details, Boston has TPEs for $17.1 million from the Evan Fournier trade, $9.7 million from the Tristan Thompson deal, and just over $5 million left from the Kemba Walker trade expiring July 18, July 7 and May 17 respectively. Today, we’ll look at some of our favorite options the Celtics could trade for with the Walker TPE.

NBA free agency: Projected lineup for Knicks with Kemba Walker

The New York Knicks made a splash with a playoff appearance this past season and have continued to make noise with an active offseason.

The New York Knicks made a splash with a playoff appearance this past season and have continued to make noise with an active offseason.

During his first year as head coach of the Knicks, head coach Tom Thibodeau got the most out of his players. Julius Randle took a huge step forward, winning the NBA’s Most Improved Player. Meanwhile, Immanuel Quickley outperformed expectations and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second-Team.

The organization built on that success by re-signing Derrick Rose and Nerlens Noel. They have also managed to sign big names such as Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker, who were actually teammates on the Boston Celtics in 2020-21.

Statistically speaking, Walker’s play was elevated quite a bit once Fournier joined the Celtics. Boston outscored opponents by an excellent 14.8 points per 100 possessions when Walker and Fournier were on the floor at the same time during regular-season action, per PBP Stats. Boston’s net rating (1.1) was much worse when Walker appeared without Fournier.

Meanwhile, Walker averaged 27.0 points per 36 minutes when he shared the court with Fournier. Compare that figure to the 22.5 points per 36 minutes in minutes he played without Fournier this past season.

The two players can add some value to the momentum that the Knicks had en route to the 2021 NBA Playoffs. especially if players like Quickley and RJ Barrett continue their development.

NBA free agency: Projected lineup for Knicks with Kemba Walker

The New York Knicks made a splash with a playoff appearance this past season and have continued to make noise with an active offseason.

The New York Knicks made a splash with a playoff appearance this past season and have continued to make noise with an active offseason.

During his first year as head coach of the Knicks, head coach Tom Thibodeau got the most out of his players. Julius Randle took a huge step forward, winning the NBA’s Most Improved Player. Meanwhile, Immanuel Quickley outperformed expectations and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second-Team.

The organization built on that success by re-signing Derrick Rose and Nerlens Noel. They have also managed to sign big names such as Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker, who were actually teammates on the Boston Celtics in 2020-21.

Statistically speaking, Walker’s play was elevated quite a bit once Fournier joined the Celtics. Boston outscored opponents by an excellent 14.8 points per 100 possessions when Walker and Fournier were on the floor at the same time during regular-season action, per PBP Stats. Boston’s net rating (1.1) was much worse when Walker appeared without Fournier.

Meanwhile, Walker averaged 27.0 points per 36 minutes when he shared the court with Fournier. Compare that figure to the 22.5 points per 36 minutes in minutes he played without Fournier this past season.

The two players can add some value to the momentum that the Knicks had en route to the 2021 NBA Playoffs. especially if players like Quickley and RJ Barrett continue their development.