For most of the season, fans were frustrated with the way Quentin Grimes was playing off the bench. The Philadelphia 76ers did not shy away from giving him as many minutes as practicable, yet his play on the hardwood was marred by inconsistencies and inability to adjust to a less featured role. And with him functioning as their nominal sixth man, that was the main reason why their bench remained one of the least productive second units in the league.
Grimes seems to have slowly turned things around in March, though. In nine games so far, he is averaging 18 points, four rebounds, and 2.7 assists per contest. His shooting splits are not worth writing home about for now, but it is encouraging to see that his level of aggression has picked up after his rather docile disposition for most of the season.
With the 76ers fighting for their lives to stay in the running for a guaranteed playoff spot, Grimes’ reemergence could not have come at a better time. After all, he is key to making this team a more dynamic and less predictable bunch, especially when their injured key players return from their respective absences.
Quentin Grimes will be the X-factor for the 76ers in the playoffs
When Grimes is constantly putting pressure on the defense by being a more proactive catalyst on the offensive end, the 76ers become more difficult to contain. On most occasions, he is relegated to exclusively being a floor spacer, which is a complete waste of his gifts as a versatile scorer.
Now that he is shoehorned into a featured role given all the injuries the 76ers are facing, he has the opportunity to regain his rhythm as a self-creator. That is bound to pay dividends for the team not only in their current chase for a playoff spot, but also in their postseason picture as a whole.
Nick Nurse is heavily reliant on his starters, and Grimes is really the only high-minutes guy off the bench that he can trust. To prevent the stars from burning out, it will be incumbent upon him to shoulder some of the load on the offensive end, especially when Tyrese Maxey and/or VJ Edgecombe takes a breather.
It is immaterial what the future holds for Grimes. At present, his main job is to ensure that he can help the 76ers remain alive in the hunt for a playoff berth while also keeping this form for their impending postseason run.