Knicks 101, Bulls 69: Grimes, Sims Hit Jackpot
The New York Knicks' prospects went on a heater in Las Vegas, though theirs came on the Summer League floor of Cox Pavilion rather than the blackjack table.
New York immediately dealt 13 points to the Chicago Bulls, starting their late Sunday afternoon showdown on a matching run to coast toward an 101-69 victory. Quentin Grimes paced the Knicks with 24 points while Jericho Sims earned another double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.
The Knicks (2-0) wasted no time in generating one of the most dominant efforts seen in this Vegas session to date: in addition to building an early lead, New York didn't allow any Chicago field goals over the first seven-plus minutes as part of a defensive showcase that forced 18 turnovers (including seven from the hands of first-round Dalen Terry).
Sunday's triumph should only amplify the calls for Grimes to take over the team's primary shooting guard duties. He's no stranger to Vegas heroics, entering this year's competition as the Knicks' returning leading scorer. Having taken over as the undisputed leader of the prospects group, Grimes expressed a desire to dominate his return trip.
The showdown with the Bulls (1-1) was more of a complete effort for Grimes, who put in a complete effort after missing 12 of his first 16 attempts over the first three frames of Friday's win over Golden State. Grimes has sunk 11-of-19 since, including a 5-of-10 ledger from three-point range.
Grimes' Vegas understudy, DaQuan Jeffries, likewise had a complete effort off the bench (13 points, 6 rebounds) while starter Miles McBride also reached double figures with 14 on 6-of-8 from the field (while helping on six conversions). Sims held his own in the defensive interior, uniting with fellow post protectors Feron Hunt, Trevor Keels, and Micah Potter to hold Marko Simonovic scoreless until the fourth quarter. Chicago's second-round pick from 2021 was one of the top scorers of the Summer League's first leg of action, scoring 27 points in a Friday win over Dallas.
Despite his struggles, Terry paced the Bulls with 13 points in defeat alongside Carlik Jones.
The young Knicks won't have much time to relish their dominance, as they'll return to Summer League action late Monday night against the Portland Trail Blazers (11 p.m. ET, ESPN2).
