Game Thread: New York Knicks @ Memphis Grizzlies 8:00 1/17/2018 [Game #45]

The Memphis Grizzlies will seek consecutive victories for the first time since October when they continue a three-game homestand against the New York Knicks on Wednesday.

The Grizzlies have rebounded from one of the worst stretches in franchise history -- losing 19 of 21 -- with five wins in their last 10 games.

The next hurdle in a potential second-half run at a playoff spot in the Western Conference -- stringing wins together.

The Grizzlies have followed their last nine wins with losses, including 87-78 at Denver on Friday after they had beaten New Orleans 105-102 two days earlier.

Dillon Brooks poured in season-high-tying 19 points when Memphis beat the Los Angeles Lakers 123-114 at home on Monday to kick off the homestand.

The rookie's season has mirrored that of the Grizzlies in many ways. He's scored in double figures 13 times, but on the previous 12 occasions, he followed it up with single-digit production nine times.

Nonetheless, interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff has stuck with him as a starter for the last 34 games.

"Coach keeps telling me to shoot with confidence," he noted after Monday's win. "When I hit my first shot (against the Lakers), I started to feel good."

Brooks never experienced that feeling when the Grizzlies visited New York last month. He took just two shots, missing them both, and went scoreless for one of four times this season.

Brooks wasn't the only Madison Square Garden visitor who struggled in the 99-88 loss. Tyreke Evans, the Grizzlies' top offensive player in the absence of Mike Conley, struggled through a 4-for-13 outing, and Memphis shot just 41.4 percent overall.

The Knicks have held only four opponents under 100 points since then, and enter the second night of a seven-game trip having surrendered an average of 111.3 points in their last 10 outings, seven of which they lost.

The New York defense has been so bad of late, the Knicks have scored 118 or more points in three of their last four games and yet have only one win to show for it.

That victory came in Brooklyn on Monday, when New York's bench accounted for 70 points in a 119-104 triumph over the Nets in the opener of the Knicks' trip.

"It's going to be huge," Knicks star Kristaps Porzingis said of the trip, which will continue west after Wednesday's stop in Memphis. "It's going to show us where we are right now. We've been so close so many games on the road. We're right there. All we need is to stick together, finish the games better and I'm sure the wins are going to come."

The Knicks have gone just 5-15 on the road. Since winning at Cleveland in October, their only road success has come at Brooklyn twice, and at New Orleans and Dallas.

Porzingis had 26 points, while rookie Frank Ntilikina narrowly missed a triple-double with 10 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds, helping the Knicks end a three-game losing streak Monday against the Nets.

The Knicks haven't won at Memphis since March of 2011. Their current six-game road losing streak to the Grizzlies has come by an average of 11.5 points per defeat.

(CBSSports / STATS)

Time to start Tim Hardaway Jr again, no more lance Thomas.

Play Burke and Ntilikina tonight so jack doesn?t get gassed by the 4th quarter like what happened with the pelicans game..all 3 pgs should play.
And for the love of God continue to play Michael Beasley no matter what bone headed turnover he commits. We need his offense so we don?t have those terrible 4-7 minute periods of no points.


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Thanks again, Rady.

If we?re going to make a move, now is the time. Memphis seems ready to wave the white flag on the season. Let?s go Knicks!

I still haven't given up on our playoff chances but htr10 says we may be the best of the under .500 teams which won't be good enough to make the playoffs. Have to start winning on the road by beating one of these under .500 teams. Let's go Knicks.

Kanter and KP have combined for 18 of our 1st 22 points in the opening 9 minutes. We trail by 2.

Kanter with 14 points and 5 rebounds in the 1st quarter, but our defense has been poor and we trail by 4.

THJ drains the 3 and we lead by 1 in the closing seconds of the 1st quarter.

Defense has to be better than this. Memphis scoring at will.

Thanks for the nice Game-Thread Rady .... I hope we dont let Tyreke Evans take away one of our road wins

Defense has been putrid, but offense keeping us in it. Ntilikina with 4 assists in 8 minutes. We trail 1 early in the 2nd quarter.

Bad start this is a team that doesn't score 100 pts and they're on pace to score 110. Gasol is also out and the He is now lead 45-41 5:41 left in the half. We score without hitting 3s 1-11 courtesy Kanter and THJ layups.

We?ve allowed 49 points to a Memphis team without Gasol and Conley in 19 minutes. If Hornacek had the guts, this would be the game to put Noah out there and tell him to show everyone the meaning of defensive intensity.

Courtney Lee now with the all-time Knicks record for most consecutive made free throws.

The Memphis crowd tonight has made this quite the boring game.

Not a good sign, in a good defensive possession where THJ defends Evan's well he drains a 20ft step back jumper. Tough shot.

tiger0330 said:

Not a good sign, in a good defensive possession where THJ defends Evan's well he drains a 20ft step back jumper. Tough shot.

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JGreen launches a 3 that bounces high off the rim but falls in but should have been a miss. It's the Griz night. 57-49 Griz.

tiger0330 said:

Bad start this is a team that doesn't score 100 pts and they're on pace to score 110. Gasol is also out and the He is now lead 45-41 5:41 left in the half. We score without hitting 3s 1-11 courtesy Kanter and THJ layups.

Click to expand...

Griz on track to score 120 with a 61-53 lead at the half. Mem is not lighting up the Knicks with 3s only shooting 4-12 but they have 30 points in the paint so the Knicks have to tighten up that interior D.

Dillon hits a 3 first play out of the gate and Harrison is fouled on a drive to bucket and makes one of his FTs. Half time pep talk so far not helping.

Jgreen has knocked down two wide open 3s with our bigs camped out under the basket.

Clyde alluded to the lack of leadership on the Knicks earlier in the game. Thomas is not a captain and KP is either too young or not leadership material. And Hornacek is no Popovich.