The 2019-20 Rookie of the Year had scored 30 or more in seven straight games while the Knicks had lost six of their eight games. So who would prevail?
NBA LEAGUE PASS: Sign up to unlock live out-of-market games (7-day free trial)
Well, the Knicks prevailed with respect to keeping Morant under 30 but suffered yet another loss as the young and in-form Grizzlies had the final say at the Madison Square Garden.
With RJ Barrett taking up the duty of being the primary defender on the Grizzlies’ All-Star and Mitchell Robinson playing the anchor in the paint, the Knicks held Morant to just 23 points on a horrid 9-of-27 shooting from the field which includes an ice-cold 0-of-6 outing from 3-point land.
Despite that, the Grizzlies prevailed as five other players scored in double figures led by Jaren Jackson Jr.’s 26 points and Zhaire William’s super-efficient 21-point outing (9-11 FGs).
Having trailed by as many as 19 points in the first half, the Knicks brought the deficit down to five points but the young Memphis squad was relentless and responded to every run.
With just over five minutes left, the game was 104-98 in the Grizzlies favour and that’s when Most Improved Candidate Desmond Bane stepped up. Although he only finished with 13 points, he rose to the occasion and scored seven of the team’s final 16 points to seal this victory.
For New York, Evan Fournier scored a game-high 30 points while the duo of Mitchell Robinson (14 points, 11 rebounds, eight blocks) and Julius Randle (18 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists) nearly record triple-doubles but it wasn’t enough.
Having said that, it was a sour ending for Randle. If the loss wasn’t enough, he was ejected from the game with 31.5 seconds remaining after receiving his second technical foul. He earned his first following a dust-up with Bane, which resulted in both receiving technicals, late in the fourth quarter.
