The New York Knicks made it four straight wins with a convincing 107-91 home victory over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night, moving back to .500 at 14-14.
Once again thriving in a bench role, power forward Kyle O'Quinn led the Knicks with ten rebounds in just 20 minutes of play. No other Knicks player had more than seven on the night.
It's a far cry from where the former Orlando Magic rotation player was prior to December 9th's game against the Utah Jazz. He had been a DNP for three games in a row prior to that, with just four combined minutes in two games before his DNP streak. O'Quinn showed fantastic energy rotating in for head coach Derek Fisher during an embarrassing blowout loss to the Jazz. Fisher noticed and has made O'Quinn his first big man off the bench.
“I just had to be ready for the next opportunity. It came in Utah,’’ O’Quinn said, via the New York Post. “I tried to be ready as best as I can, by making it game situations in practice, keeping myself tight. My game is my game. I can’t change my game. It’s too long a season to change my game in the middle of the year. I stuck to what I know and tried to do it as sharp as I could.’’
Considered the biggest talker and clown in the Knicks locker room, O'Quinn has relished his extended role -- posting just under 8 points and 7.7 rebounds per game in relatively limited minutes.
“It feels a lot better to now have a defined role,’’ O’Quinn said. “Of course, if you’re sure about something, it always feels good. It’s better than guessing. It feels good to have a role and trying to fill it best you can. I feel the responsibility.’’
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