Immanuel Quickley returns, adding firepower to Knicks bench

Immanuel Quickley was again in motion Tuesday after lacking his first recreation of the season Sunday in Toronto with a sore left knee. For the Knicks it was a plus to have Quickley, who has been one in all their most constant contributors, again in motion. However maybe extra vital it was a obligatory addition to the bench.

With out Quickley the Knicks bench collapsed within the opening minutes of the fourth quarter Sunday. Whereas Obi Toppin picked up a few of the scoring slack with a 14-point effort, 12 factors got here within the first half and he, together with the remainder of the second unit, had been shortly yanked within the fourth quarter as Toronto mounted a 13-2 run to start out the interval after the Knicks had fought again to tie the rating after three quarters.

“You don’t have an extended runway,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau mentioned of the fast hook. “It was a tie rating going into the fourth, after which it was 13-2. We’re giving up second photographs, the ball’s attending to the center of the ground. So we’ve obtained to play higher.”

Nonetheless, Toppin’s first double-figure scoring recreation since Nov. 13 wasn’t misplaced on Thibodeau.

“Very aggressive, I preferred it quite a bit,” he mentioned. “I assumed our bench within the first half performed nicely. So the problem is we’ve obtained to get the bench taking part in nicely in each halves.”

Faculty honor roll

Jalen Brunson could have his jersey retired at Villanova February 8. The Knicks are in Orlando the evening earlier than and can play at Philadelphia February 10, so Brunson will be capable of be available for the ceremony.

Fournier on depart

Evan Fournier, who performed for the primary time in seven video games Sunday, was not with the staff Tuesday however together with his spouse who was giving start.

Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent almost three a long time masking the Knicks and the NBA, together with nearly each sports activities staff within the New York metropolitan space.