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These teams only meet twice a season, and Saturday night will present round one between the New York Knicks (22-16; 20-16-2 ATS) and Memphis Grizzlies (14-23; 16-21-0 ATS). It'll take place in Memphis' FedExForum at 8:00 p.m. EDT. The Grizzlies swept the Knicks the past two seasons. Will Memphis bring the brooms again, beginning with a win in this one, or is New York headed for revenge?
(Published before the Grizzlies game on Friday night)
For the first time in 2024, the New York Knicks lost on Thursday, failing to complete a furious comeback against the Mavericks. Their 5-1 stretch to begin the new year coincides with the club trading for OG Anunoby and inserting him into the starting lineup. He's helped the Knicks climb to 14th in defensive rating, even as starting center Mitchell Robinson remains out. New York is led by strong defensive rebounding and allowing the fifth-fewest free throw attempts per game. The Knicks are also solid at forcing turnovers and creating missed shots from all three scoring levels. The Anunoby trade instantly revitalized New York's starting lineup defensively, even if their game in Dallas was a dud.
Offensively, the team has been fine for most of the season, ranking ninth in offensive rating entering the weekend. The Knicks are leading the league in offensive rebounding percentage while averaging the seventh-most fr ee throws per contest. They're also eighth in three-point percentage. As a team, New York is 18th in turnover percentage offensively. Poor rim efficiency leaves a lot to be desired, but the Knicks know how to score with the best of them this season.