HOUSTON – Dallas Mavericks guard Quentin Grimes was able to relive a life-long dream Wednesday night at the Toyota Center when he played his second-ever NBA game in his hometown of Houston.
Grimes was born in Houston, was a superstar at The Woodlands College Park High School in suburban Houston where he averaged 29.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.5 blocks as a senior during the 2017-18 season. That year he also was named the Gatorade State Player of the Year, was chosen to the McDonald’s All-American, and also captured the All-Greater Houston Player of the Year award.
And in 2021, Grimes led the University of Houston to the NCAA Final Four. In other words, Grimes is a big shot in the city of Houston.
So, playing Wednesday’s game against the Houston Rockets — where he estimated he had between 45 and 50 family members and friends on hand — was a very nice treat for Grimes.
“I tried to get like 20-25 tickets,” he said. “That’s just off the people that I know that was coming to the game on my family side.
“I know I had some friends hit me up to come up to game, so that’s a lot of support for me down here in Houston and I really appreciate it for sure.”
When Grimes played for the New York Knicks, he missed their lone game in Houston during his rookie year in 2021-22 due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols. But in his second season with the Knicks, Grimes scored 19 points on 8-of-15 shots in his team’s 108-88 win over the Rockets in their only trip to Houston.
And four days before the Knicks played in Houston on Feb. 12, 2024, in Grimes’ third season with New York, the Knicks traded him to the Detroit Pistons, who had already played their lone game in Houston prior to that trade.
Thus, Grimes was fired up to play in Houston on Wednesday, and he responded with 17 points, five rebounds and three assists, and was 6-of-13 from the field.
“I think any time you come back home as a player you want to show family and friends, and I thought he was a plus for us tonight,” coach Jason Kidd said. “He was aggressive (and) he had good looks.”
Most of all, Grimes thoroughly enjoyed being able to play in front of so many friends and members of his family in his home town.
“When I was in New York I was only down here one time,” he said. “The first year I had Covid, the second year I was able to play, and the third year I was traded before I was ever able to play in front of my family.
“So, I did have a lot of family to come out and support me tonight.”
BRIEFLY: A moment of silence was observed prior to Wednesday’s Mavs-Rockets game following the tragic incident in New Orleans on Sunday morning which resulted in the death of 14 people and injuries to more than two dozen others . . . After a long and rugged four-game road trip that saw them lose the final three games and travel to three different time zones — the Mavs will not practice on Thursday. On Friday, the Mavs will host the Cleveland Cavaliers, who own the best record in the NBA. Then, the Mavs will play at Memphis on Monday before flying back home to host 40-year old LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday in the second leg of a back-to-back.
X: @DwainPrice
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