Memphis Grizzlies at New York Knicks Game Preview

Who: New York Knicks (32-18, 4th in the East) vs. Memphis Grizzlies (18-32, 13th in the West)

When: Tuesday, February 6th, 6:30 P.M. CST

Where: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

How To Watch: Bally Sports Southeast

Injury Report: 

Memphis: Santi Aldama (Questionable, Tailbone), John Kochar (Questionable, Calf), Vince Williams Jr. (Questionable, Wrist), Derrick Rose (Questionable, Hamstring), Xavier Tillman (Doubtful, Knee), Jaren Jackson Jr. (Doubtful, Hip), Desmond Bane (Out, Ankle), Ja Morant (Out, Shoulder), Victor Oladipo (Out, Knee), Brandon Clarke (Out, Achilles), Ziaire Williams (Out, Hand), Jake LaRavia (Out, Ankle), Marcus Smart (Out, Finger)

New York: OG Anunoby (Questionable, Elbow), Quentin Grimes (Questionable, Ankle), Duane Washington Jr. (Questionable, Thumb), Julius Randle (Out, Shoulder), Mitchell Robinson (Out, Ankle)

Find Offense Early

The Grizzlies’ season reached its lowest point Sunday night in a 131-91 loss to the Boston Celtics. I say it every time I write but I do not know how else to start: Memphis was as shorthanded and depleted as it gets in the NBA. 

Starting for the Grizzlies against the Celtics on Sunday were Luke Kennard (Fine, we like Nuke), David Roddy (He has to step up eventually, right?), GG Jackson (youngest player in the league), Jacob Gilyard (5’8”) and Trey Jemison (showed up last week). 

The Grizzlies’ injury report outnumbered active players by five and Memphis only had three players on its bench Sunday. It is genuinely comical at this point. Whether Memphis’ list of inactive players grew because of legit injuries, or it was finally waving the white flag is unclear. What is clear, however, is Memphis looks set to land a top-10 pick. 

Sunday’s 40-point loss may be a sign of things to come for this Memphis squad. The Grizzlies have remained competitive despite all of their injuries but as the losses pile up (the Grizzlies have lost five straight) it would not be surprising to see them run out of gas.

The New York Knicks are the wrong team to face at the height of a backslide (or the right one depending on how you look at it). Before their loss to the Lakers on Saturday, the Knicks had won nine straight. Jalen Brunson was just named to his first All-Star game and the Knicks defense has stymied teams since trading for OG Anunoby. The Knicks allowed less than 100 points per game over their win streak and have been particularly tough at Madison Square Garden; they are 11-2 in their last 13 home games. 

The Grizzlies have only averaged 96.8 points over their last four games and if Jaren Jackson Jr. misses his second straight game, Memphis will be in desperate need of offense. Scotty Pippen Jr. was the Grizzlies leading scorer on Sunday with 19 points. The potential return of Santi Aldama, Vince Williams Jr., John Konchar and Derrick Rose should provide much-needed energy on the offensive side of the ball but if the Grizzlies are unable to produce offense early, they will find themselves in a hole they will not be able to climb out of. 

No! No! No! Yes!!

That was what it was like to watch Dillon Brooks on offense as a Grizzlies fan. That is what Memphis needs to beat the Knicks on Tuesday. They will need players to take shots that make fans experience a whole range of emotions. Memphis is not going to outplay the Knicks. They’re not going to have some savvy offensive gameplan that tricks Tom Thibodeau and the second-ranked scoring defense. 

The “gameplan” should be something similar to what Taylor Jenkins and the Grizzlies do anyway: jack up threes. I have been critical of Memphis’s offensive approach this season but if any game is the game to do it, it is tonight. The Grizzlies are 29th in three-point percentage but attempt the fifth most threes in the league. Explain that one to me.

The NBA has turned into a league where any team can upset another on any given night because of the three-point variance. That is what will have to happen for the Grizzlies to win tonight. They will not get any easy shots. They will get “No! No! No!” shots and we just have to hope we get to cheer “Yes!!” after some of them. 

Prediction: New York 118, Memphis 97

Photo credit: AP Photo/Brandon Dill