After helping the Knicks outrun the Cavaliers in their third exhibition match, Immanuel Quickley was a star in the final as a starter, scoring 22 points and adding five assists and five steals in a Cavs blast. After that match, coach Tom Thibodeau said Quickley would have a chance to be the starter if he continued to perform, adding that he was given the opportunity due to his strong work in practice.
It would still seem likely that Quickley will be off the bench on Wednesday against the Pacers in the first round as a backup to veteran Elfrid Payton. Payton started the first three preseason games and missed the fourth with a minor hamstring problem. Thibodeau did not reveal his starters, although he said performance will outweigh experience, as he said during the preseason.
“Everything is based on merit,” said Tom Thibodeau. “You evaluate the practice, who is training well, you take it further with the games, you take that information. If someone is training well, that’s important to us, and then when you have your preseason games, if they play well and the team works well when they’re on the pitch, that’s also important. You play the people you think will give you the best chance of winning. “