Cam Reddish continues to earn Knicks role with second straight start

MINNEAPOLIS — Cam Reddish has gone from a player who barely could get on the court following his trade to the Knicks last season to one increasingly gaining the trust of coach Tom Thibodeau. 

Due to Quentin Grimes’ continued iffy availability with recurring foot soreness, Reddish has remained in the rotation in each of the team’s first 10 games. That includes a season-high 37 minutes in his first start as a Knick in Saturday’s loss to the Celtics, and a second consecutive start Monday against the Timberwolves. 

“It’s been cool, man, it’s been fun. It’s obviously been a journey, and I’m just trying to continue to grind,” said Reddish, who scored eight points in 29 minutes of the Knicks’ 120-107 win. “I don’t feel like I’ve done much of anything up to this point, but every single night is a new opportunity to prove myself at both ends of the floor. So I’m just trying to go out there and do that. 

“I don’t really think about all the other stuff I can’t control. I just try to go out there and give my all.” 

Cam Reddish scores during the Knicks'
 win over the Wolves.
Cam Reddish scores during the Knicks’
win over the Wolves.
AP

Grimes’ absence in the Boston game after replacing Evan Fournier in the starting lineup the previous night in Philadelphia initially was couched by Thibodeau as precautionary because it was the second of back-to-back games. But the second-year guard also was unavailable against Minnesota, with Thibodeau repeating that Grimes “just has some soreness” and “we want to make sure it’s cleared up.” 

The Knicks have been saying something similar for weeks about Grimes, who was sidelined for the first six games of the season after aggravating the injury in the final preseason game. He now also has missed two more games again after totaling 20 minutes in his two appearances last week. 

Thibodeau often has praised Reddish’s improved defense this year, and the 23-year-old wing believes spending the offseason within the Knicks’ program has helped his game at both ends of the court. 

“I feel like that goes for anybody, you start learning and get more comfortable,” Reddish said. “I’m starting to learn my teammates more, obviously the plays and stuff like that. So I’m just more comfortable, in general. It’s easier to play my game and not think as much, trying to figure out where I am on the floor and stuff like that. So it definitely makes a big difference.” 


Three-time All-Star center Rudy Gobert, who was acquired from the Jazz in the offseason, was out for a second straight game while in the NBA’s health and safety protocols. 

source: nypost.com