Lineup change continues to play in Knicks' favor as offense thrives

Quentin Grimes stayed silent until he finally had enough. His shots weren't falling, and New York Knicks fans were growing tired. With Grimes' frustration mounting, Tom Thibodeau decided to change the starting lineup.

Rather than start against the Celtics, Grimes was replaced by Donte DiVincenzo. Grimes scored in double digits for only the fifth time this season and the first time since Nov. 15. New York lost, but it was evident the young guard benefitted from running with the second unit.

Grimes came off the bench again on Monday versus the Raptors and had his best game of the season. In 27 minutes (the most he's played since Nov. 15), he scored a season-high 19 points on 5-of-7 shooting from three, marking the second time he's hit five threes in a game this season.

He hit a couple of clutch three-pointers late in the fourth quarter, regaining his spot in the closing lineup.

While fans had doubts about how Grimes would play off the bench, he's exceeded expectations in his new role.

Quentin Grimes shines for Knicks in new role with bench unit

Quentin Grimes was one of six New York players to score in double figures on what was a strong shooting night. The Knicks shot 52-of-86 (60.5%) from the field and 17-of-29 (58.6%) from three.

While Julius Randle deserves all the spotlight after his game-high 34 points, seeing Grimes back in a groove is a relief. Instead of continuing upward after his first full year as a starter, he regressed significantly in the first quarter of New York's season. Through two games, it's safe to say he looks much more comfortable with the ball in his hands.

Grimes isn't going to hit five threes every night, but if he can consistently knock down shots, he'll give a needed jolt to the Knicks' offense off the bench. All he needed was a change of scenery.