Evan Fournier skipped over Wednesday morning’s shooting for the Knicks for personal reasons, and was not originally expected to play against the Hornets to take care of a family matter.
But the veteran goalkeeper decided to play and ended up scoring 30 points for the team The Knicks lost 125-114 in the park.
“When you have something happen to you and your family and the situation gets under control, to some degree, it kind of resets everything,” Fournier said. “You’re safe, I’m safe. So it’s like, ‘Okay let’s do what I love right now without thinking of anything else but enjoying the moment and being there.”
“To be frank, [Tuesday] Night I thought I would not play. After it got a little better, I’m in the NBA, I’m in NYC, I play at Madison Square Garden every night. As a kid, it was my dream. So I won’t let that affect my love for the game.”
Fournier, from He broke John Starks’ record with three shots in one season Last week, he managed to win six more players against Charlotte to take his season total to 230.
“He says a lot,” said Tom Tibodo. “His shot was huge for us. Thirty points. Unfortunately, we don’t have a win to show.”
Quentin Grimes missed his third game in a row with an aching knee, giving more credence to the prospect of a novice Knicks returning close to the dislocated knee that kept him out of action for more than a month. Grimes returned to the squad on March 18 and appeared in five games before missing after the team’s win in Miami on March 25.
“You just want to make sure he’s perfectly healthy. That’s the big thing,” Tibodo said. “So when he’s ready to go, he’s going.”
Thibodeau has not provided an update on Derrick Rose, who does not appear likely to return this season after ankle surgery in December and a follow-up procedure last month.