BOSTON — Quentin Grimes is headed to the bench.
Amid his struggles and public frustration over his lack of opportunities, the 23-year-old guard was replaced in the lineup by Donte DiVincenzo for Friday night’s game against the Celtics.
Grimes had been the starting shooting guard for 83 consecutive regular season games that he’s been available, having supplanted Evan Fournier for that spot early last season.
Friday will be the first time he came off the bench for a regular-season game since November 2022.
But the 3-point and defensive specialist struggled mightily to start the season, with his shooting percentages, playing time and shooting opportunities all suffering.
Following Tuesday’s loss in Milwaukee, Grimes went off about the circumstances, saying, among other things, it’s tough to find a rhythm when he rarely touches the ball, stands in the corner and gets subbed out after missing one shot.
“It’s just hard when you go the whole quarter without touching the ball, the whole second quarter without touching the ball, and then you get one shot and you got to make it,” Grimes said. “So it’s tough going out there and just standing in the corner the whole game. Then you got to make the shot when you shoot the ball one or two times per game. It is what it is.”
DiVincenzo recently had more success playing with the starters this season, having averaged 19.5 in two games with the lineup last month while Grimes was inactive because of a wrist injury.
Grimes entered Friday averaging just 5.8 points on 36% shooting.
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