Their five-game winning streak snapped, the New York Knicks will look for a complete effort when they visit the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday.
The Knicks will need a stronger start after allowing 44 points in the first quarter of a 128-124 loss to the host Dallas Mavericks on Thursday. The defeat was New York’s first since acquiring OG Anunoby from the Toronto Raptors in a five-player trade on Dec. 30.
Julius Randle scored 32 points vs. Dallas, while Jalen Brunson finished with 30 points against his former team despite shooting 4 of 12 from the field in the first half.
New York trailed by as many as 21 points in the third quarter before making it a one-point game with just over a minute to play.
Randle, who is averaging 29.9 points on 50.6 percent shooting over his past eight games, said the Knicks need to learn from the Thursday loss.
New York has lost its last four meetings against the short-handed Grizzlies, whose lengthy injury list continues to grow.
Memphis had its three-game winning streak snapped with a 128-119 home loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday. Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 21 points to lead the Grizzlies, while Xavier Tillman added 20 and David Roddy finished with 17.
Memphis guard Desmond Bane exited the game in the third quarter due to a left ankle sprain and did not return.
Bane’s ailment capped an injury-plagued week for the Grizzlies. Ja Morant was shut down for the season with a torn right shoulder labrum just days before Memphis guard Marcus Smart was ruled out for the next six weeks due to a right ring finger injury.
Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins admires how his team has remained focused during the current wave of adversity.
The Grizzlies’ injury bug has resulted in more opportunities for players such as Vince Williams Jr., who was rewarded with a three-year contract earlier this week.
Williams is averaging 9.8 points over his last four games while shooting 9 of 19 (47.4 percent) from 3-point range. The second-year wing has become a key part of the Grizzlies’ rotation in recent weeks.
