Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley (5) drives as Pistons guard Josh Jackson (20) defends during the first half of a game on Feb. 28, 2021 in Detroit. Credit: AP/Carlos Osorio
The most memorable facial expression Wednesday night for the Knicks might have come when Tom Thibodeau seemed in danger of actually exploding on the sideline. But maybe the most important one was the smile from rookie Immanuel Quickley.
While the coach was gruffly demanding performance from his team — successfully — Quickley was simply having fun. With the game in the balance, Quickley emerged at the start of the fourth quarter and poured in 11 points in a flurry to turn a one-point lead into a double-digit lead as they coasted to a much-needed win over the Bulls.