Memphis Grizzlies vs. New York Knicks Game Preview

Who: New York Knicks (22-16, 6th in the East) at Memphis Grizzlies (14-24, 13th in the West)

When: Saturday, January 13th, 7:00 P.M. CST

Where: FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee

How To Watch: Bally Sports Southeast

Injury Report: 

Memphis: Desmond Bane (Questionable, Ankle), Ja Morant (Out, Shoulder), Steven Adams (Out, Knee), Brandon Clarke (Out, Achilles), Santi Aldama (Out, Knee), GG Jackson II (Out, Two-Way Transfer), Jake LaRavia (Out, G-League Assignment), Derrick Rose (Out, Hamstring), Marcus Smart (Out, Finger)

New York: Mitchell Robinson (Out, Ankle)

Next man up

The Grizzlies enter tonight on the second night of a back-to-back against a fresh New York Knicks squad looking to continue its hot streak. After acquiring OG Anunoby, the Knicks went on a five-game win streak before losing in Dallas on Thursday. Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle are combining for over 50 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists per game but the real story is the Knicks’ defense. Since acquiring Anunoby, the Knicks’ defensive rating is 106.2, the lowest in the NBA. For a depleted Memphis team that will be desperate for offense, the Knicks will present an intimidating challenge.

Desmond Bane is the most recent Grizzly to suffer an injury, adding to Memphis’s cursed season. The offensive burden is now given to Jaren Jackson Jr. who shot 6/20 from the field and 1/8 from 3PT range against Los Angeles on Friday. Last week, Jackson put together a string of impressive offensive performances that led to two big wins for Memphis. He will need to find that offense again for Memphis to have any chance of keeping up with the Knicks. 

It can’t be all of Jackson, though. Memphis will need contributions from its few remaining players, including Xavier Tillman, Vince Williams, Luke Kennard, David Roddy and Ziaire Williams. This week Tillman has proven once again that he deserves a spot in the rotation. The big man is averaging 17 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks, on 73.7 percent from the field over the last two games and has energized the Grizzlies when they have been in slumps. Vince Williams’ contributions this season have earned him a long-term guaranteed contract. His hustle, rebounding, defense and three-point shooting are critical and without him this season, Memphis’s record would be a few games worse than it is right now.

Luke Kennard has found his shot over the last few games, and for the foreseeable future, he will have to fill Smart’s shooting volume and potentially Bane’s. Roddy and Ziaire Williams have been huge for Memphis at times this season but their offense has been streaky all year. Williams has scored in double digits in four of his last five games and may be turning a corner as he gets more opportunities the rest of the season. Roddy has scored double digits and averaged 3.5 assists over the last two games. Roddy’s sophomore season has been a disappointment and he has fallen out of the rotation at times. The rest of the year, though, Memphis will get to see what they have in Roddy as he gets more playing time. 

It will not be all of them. But a few of them will step up tonight as well as the rest of the season. 

Protect the three-point line

The Knicks average 13.3 (10th) 3PT FGs while shooting 37.6% (8th) from downtown. Conversely, the Grizzlies are 26th in 3PT defense allowing teams to shoot 38.4% from deep. They are even worse at protecting the three-point line at home where they allow teams to shoot 41.2% from beyond the arc, the highest average in the league. It goes beyond the percentages; the Grizzlies’ three-point defense never passes the eye test. Too often, able three-point shooters are left wide-open, making it difficult for the Grizzlies, which rank dead last in team 3PT percentage, to keep up. Missed rotations, bad transition defense, and low-effort getting around screens have led to easy deep balls from opposing sharpshooters.

Against New York tonight, they will be tested by Jalen Brunson, one of the league’s premier shooters. The star PG is shooting 42.4% from beyond the arc on 6.6 attempts per game. Flanking Brunson is Donte DiVincenzo, Anunoby, and Quentin Grimes, all of whom shoot over 39% from deep.

In last night’s 128-119 loss, Memphis allowed the Clippers to shoot 48% from deep and Paul George went 7/10 from beyond the arc. The Grizzlies’ defense must protect the three-point tonight, especially if Bane is not available to generate offense for Memphis. Ultimately, the Grizzlies will not be able to generate enough offense to overcome their Knicks and will lose their second straight.

Prediction: New York 122, Memphis 104