New York Knicks rookie Immanuel Quickley dropped 31 points off the bench during a 116-113 defeat to the Portland Trail Blazers.
Quickley led the Knicks in scoring, as he converted on 9 of 18 shots from the field and 5 of 8 from 3 points. According to StatMuse, he is the first rookie in the history of the Knicks franchise to score at least 30 points with five 3-points scored in a game off the bench.
His 31 points are seconds more for a rookie this season, just behind Tyrese Maxey’s 39 points on January 9.
The 25th overall pick scored 21 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter, as he accounted for more than half of the team’s points (36) over the period. New York was 12 points behind early in the period and nearly finished the comeback win behind Quickley’s heroics.
Quickley had everything working Sunday night, from his shooting to his ability to drive in the lane and finish on the edge. Of course, he also threw some floaters, a shot he has apparently perfected this season.
Despite the excellent performances, the Knicks have not been able to take the win, but Quickley has proven to be the real deal this season and only improves every time he takes the field.