Knicks 118, Grizzlies 104: “We believe in each other”
The New York Knicks are streaking once again, now winners of three straight after beating the Memphis Grizzlies on the road on Monday night, 118-104.
That’s how you start a road trip.
Out of six games scheduled, there were only two games where the Knicks could reasonably be considered favorites, and they won both of them.
Oh, and they clinched their first winning season since 2012-2013 in the process.
No big deal.
There weren’t many signs from the Knicks that they were feeling the second night of a back-to-back, outside of the beginning and ends of the game.
Memphis got out to a 6-0 lead early, behind a couple of buckets from Jonas Valancunias. It wasn’t until a Reggie Bullock three went in at the 8:10 mark that New York got on the board.
Later on, Bullock found Taj in transition for the reverse layup to tie it up at nine all.
*taps mic*
There were only 18 points scored over halfway into the first quarter of this one. It was a slow burner.
Things stayed pretty even after that score, with Derrick Rose coming in and doing his thing early. On the 10-year anniversary of his MVP ceremony in 2011, he started 4-4 from the field.
Randle started out slow in this one, shooting 1-7 in the first quarter, with this and-1 bucket his lone highlight:
The Knicks walked out of the first quarter largely unscathed, and with 25-22 a lead, thanks to this last minute 3-pointer from RJ Barrett:
It was Norvell Pelle who got things started for New York in the second quarter. With Nerlens Noel out, he saw nearly 15 minutes on the floor, his season-high with the Knicks.
Just moments later, Alec Burks connected on a 3-pointer, his first bucket since April 14th, after he spent the last two-and-a-half weeks in the NBA’s health and safety protocol. So it was nice to see him moving without too much rust in his first game back.
Immanuel Quickley followed him up with a three, making for an 11-4 run to start the second.
We started to see somewhat of a Point Burks revival, with him finding Obi Toppin on this lob:
This was all a part of a second quarter onslaught on offense for New York.
There’s something uncanny about the second unit and how cohesive the offense looks... and it certainly helps when on an off night, your best player can still hit shots like this:
And this:
I seriously don’t know how many times I can do the same photoshop of Julius Randle’s face onto Steph Curry’s body before it becomes an insult to the Knicks’ All-Star.
New York ended up putting together a 44-point second quarter, which was their highest-scoring quarter of the season to date. The Knicks walked into halftime with a 69-58 lead.
Memphis opened the second half aggressively, and characteristically, New York didn’t respond right away. A Dillon Brooks 3-pointer brought a once 11-point Knicks lead to six, with seven minutes still left in the quarter. He walked into the fourth with 25 points.
Not saying I told you so, but I kinda told you so.
Unfortunately for the Grizzlies, he was the only guy who had it going. New York entered the fourth and final quarter with a 17-point lead, and it looked like Randle was going to get some rest for the second night in a row.
Then the Knicks forgot how to score the basketball.
Over the first 5:11 of the fourth quarter, they scored just two points; an early quarter jumper from Alec Burks.
The question became who among New York’s “Big 15” would step up and put some points on the board. As he has so many times this season, Derrick Rose answered the call.
Memphis clawed their way to within five behind a couple of 3-pointers by Kyle Anderson, but then Randle made a three, Rose hit another big shot… and the Grizzlies imploded.
Tony Brothers assessed them five technical fouls simultaneously, ejecting both head coach Taylor Jenkins and “not better than RJ Barrett” Ja Morant. You love to see it.
The Knicks closed it out handily, and walked out of the FedEx Forum victors of a 118-104 bout.
Notes
Shoutout to Derrick freaking Rose man. The night after he scored a season-high 24 points, he set a new season-high with 25. And he didn’t attempt a single free throw! He’s also made 7-10 3-point attempts over the last two games.
It wasn’t Julius Randle’s night. But on the second night of a back-to-back, and in a Knicks win, I’m thinking we can let it slide. He finished with 28 points on 23 shots, to go with six rebounds, six assists, and only one turnover. This performance will be a thing of the past once he drops 45 on his West Coast doppelganger on Wednesday.
RJ Barrett is now 4-0 against Zion Williamson and Ja Morant this season. Let that be the end of a ridiculous discourse determining the best member of the 2019 draft class.
He won’t be talked about, but Taj Gibson played one of his best games on Monday. Thibs’ longtime disciple finished with six points, 12 rebounds, and five blocks. He was actually present the last time someone 35 years or older put up that stat line. It was his teammate Pau Gasol, in a 2016 Bulls win over the Bucks.
New York made 14 of their 27 attempts from deep, and the hot streak continues. Over their last 13 games, in which the Knicks are 12-1, they’re shooting a league-leading 43.3% from behind the arc.
With their first two games of the road trip down and in the win column, the Knicks really just need to win one more game to call this six-game stretch a success. If the Knicks can pull one out against any of Denver, Phoenix, or either of the LA teams, they’ll walk into their final three-game home stand with a 38-31 record. Wouldn’t 40 wins be nice?
We didn’t see a lot of Immanuel Quickley in this one, he had just eight points on six shots. I anticipate that will change in the upcoming stretch.
The New York Knicks have won three straight games for the seventh time this season. That’s more than the last three seasons combined.
Each night it becomes more apparent, and Derrick Rose said it after the game:
“We believe in each other.”
There may not be a more important quality to this 2020-2021 New York Knicks team than the trust they hold in each other as a unit. And I don’t think anyone’s arguing that, either.
For it to be their first winning campaign in eight years, and that being largely overlooked, well I think that says just about all you need to know about this season’s turnaround.
Playoff basketball is on its way to Madison Square Garden.
Can you feel the hype?
