NEW YORK — There were 25 seconds remaining in the first half, and it had mostly been a run-and-gun clinic from the Grizzlies at Madison Square Garden. Ja Morant, a budding superstar, bolted on a two-one break against Immanuel Quickley.
Morant passed it to Ziaire Williams, who threw a lob back and … highlight. Morant was so high he reached back to grab the pass and dunked it emphatically.
It wasn’t the best night for Morant — who finished with 23 points and nine assists — but it was good enough to beat the Knicks, 120-108, who were outclassed by the Grizzlies’ speed and athleticism while Julius Randle’s emotions again got the best of him.
Randle, who finished with 18 points and one assist short of a triple-double, was ejected late in the fourth quarter after his second technical. His first infraction seemed to light a fire under the Grizzlies (36-18), who were only leading by six midway through the fourth quarter.
That’s when Randle wandered into Memphis’ huddle during a stop in play, which prompted some shoving with Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane. Both were assessed technicals and Bane buried a 3-pointer on the next possession.
The Knicks (24-28) never recovered. That six-point deficit turned to 11 in about one minute. They lost for the seventh time in their last nine games. Randle was assessed another tech for complaining to the referees with 31.5 seconds left and a defeat secured. It became the latest example of Randle losing his cool.
Morant, meanwhile, was must-see each time he had the ball, beating RJ Barrett regularly off the dribble. But he missed all six of his 3-point attempts and required help from Jaren Jackson Jr. (24 points) and Williams (21).
The Knicks were led by Evan Fournier’s efficient 30 points, but Kemba Walker’s descension continued.
Stylistically the opponents couldn’t be much different.
The Knicks are plodding, low-scoring and rely heavily on 3-pointers, especially the starting lineup. They’re last in the league in pace, last in points in the paint, second-to-last in assists, fourth-to-last in overall scoring and fifth-to-last in fast-break points. The Grizzlies, on the other hand, are fast and explosive. They’re first in fast-break points, first in points in the paint, fourth in overall points scored and top-10 in both pace and assists.
That played out Wednesday at MSG.
The Knicks now start a five-game West Coast road trip against the Lakers, Jazz, Nuggets, Warriors and Blazers. They have the league’s second-most difficult remaining schedule based on the opposition’s record, behind only the Sixers, according to Tankathon.com.
But they entered Wednesday at 11th in the Eastern Conference, just 1/2 game behind the Hawks for the final play-in spot.
“Despite our record, we’re not out of it at all,” Barrett said. “Nine through 12 in the East is all close. We’re really right there, just need to string together some wins and that will help. It’s funny. It’s like you have one good week and you’re right back in it.”
