Knicks Reserve OUT, Rookie Rises vs. Rockets?

Immanuel Quickley Thrives in New York Knicks Starting Role

Obi Toppin’s Opportunity?

With starting point guard Derrick Rose out with an ankle injury against the Houston Rockets, the New York Knicks were forced to make a change. Instead of inserting veteran guard Alec Burks into the starting lineup, head coach Tom Thibodeau opted to give the nod to second-year guard Immanuel Quickley.

And Quickley did not disappoint.
The 22-year-old scored a career-high 31 points on 11-of-18 shooting, including 5-of-10 from three-point range.
He also added 5 rebounds and 5 assists.

With Quickley playing so well, it begs the question: does he deserve to keep the starting point guard spot even when Rose returns from injury?

It's a tough question to answer.
Rose is a veteran point guard who has been a key part of the Knicks' success this season.
But Quickley has shown that he can be a dynamic scorer and playmaker.

Ultimately, the decision of who to start at point guard will be up to Thibodeau.
But if Quickley continues to play at a high level, it will be tough for Thibodeau to take him out of the starting lineup.

Obi Toppin’s Opportunity?

With starting power forward Julius Randle also out with an injury, the Knicks were forced to start Obi Toppin at power forward.
And Toppin made the most of his opportunity.

The 23-year-old scored 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds.
It was Toppin's first double-double of the season.

With Randle out, Toppin is likely to get more playing time in the coming weeks.
And if he continues to play well, he could make a case to be a permanent starter.

Conclusion

The Knicks were able to pull out a 116-104 victory over the Rockets despite missing two of their starters.
Quickley and Toppin both played well in their starting roles, and they could be in line for more playing time in the future.

It will be interesting to see how Thibodeau handles the starting lineup once Rose and Randle return from injury.
But if Quickley and Toppin continue to play well, they could make it tough for Thibodeau to take them out of the starting lineup.