Ja Morant scores 37 points as Knicks' winning streak ends at three in loss to Grizzlies
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The last time the Knicks and Grizzlies met, young upstart Ja Morant boasted after Memphis’ one-point win at Madison Square Garden: , "We climb up the chimney. We ain't ducking no smoke."
And for three quarters Friday, the Knicks gave it to them, overpowering the young, athletic Grizzlies around the rim. But suddenly the Grizzlies pushed back and put on a display of high-speed acrobatics that at times resembled a trampoline dunking exhibit. The Grit and Grind that once was the trademark of the franchise was traded in for some combination of Grit and Glide, and the Knicks just could not keep up.
The Grizzlies limited them to 6-for-22 shooting and 18 points in the fourth quarter (six in the final 40.5 seconds) in an 118-114 win at FedEx Forum.
After falling behind 53-41, the Knicks took a 96-81 lead with 1:08 left in the third quarter, but in the next 11:57, the Grizzlies outscored them 34-12 to go ahead 115-108 with 1:11 remaining.
Morant finished with eight assists and had 15 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter for Memphis (46-22), which recorded 16 blocked shots.
"He’s a very good player,’’ RJ Barrett said of Morant, who was drafted second in 2019, one spot ahead of Barrett. "They got a really good team. They really know their system. They share the ball. They’re happy for each other’s success, you know what I mean? They’re like a well-oiled machine."
"They’re one of the best teams in the league, so you know they’re not going to give it to you," Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. "You’ve got to earn it. But I thought we did a lot of good things in this game. I knew the challenge was going to be they’re coming at you the whole game."
The Knicks entered the game with three straight wins and a sudden ascension back into talk of a play-in berth, but they dropped 4 1⁄2 games behind Charlotte and Atlanta, which are tied for the final two play-in spots.
Julius Randle had 36 points, 12 rebounds and six assists and Barrett added 23 points for the Knicks (28-39). Alec Burks scored 18 points and Mitchell Robinson had 10 points, 16 rebounds, four assists, four blocked shots and three steals.
A lefthanded drive by Morant around Jericho Sims at the rim gave the Grizzlies a 102-101 lead, and after the Knicks briefly went ahead again, Memphis just overpowered them. Jaren Jackson Jr. blocked shots by Randle and Barrett and the Grizzlies made them pay at the other end with fast-break layups.
"Obviously, what [the Grit and Grind Memphis teams] were able to do was special," the Grizzlies’ Desmond Bane said. "I think we’ve taken what they’ve done and kind of put our own twist on it. We’re trying to build the same legacy here for the Grizzlies."
Down by seven with 24 seconds left, the Knicks got a layup by Randle and a follow dunk by Robinson to close the gap to three with 7.8 seconds left. Morant hit a free throw with 5.5 seconds remaining to make it a two-possession game.
The Knicks are 3-3 on their road trip, which ends Sunday against the Nets — who came back from a 28-point deficit the last time the two teams played.
The Knicks began the trip with a 15-point loss to the 76ers after taking a 16-point lead in the second quarter, then led the Suns by 14 in the third quarter before losing by a point on a three-pointer at the buzzer. Then came three straight wins and the blown 15-point lead against Memphis.
"Bittersweet," Randle said when asked to sum up the trip. "Kind of the story of the season a little bit. A couple games where we just kind of lost it in the end."
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
