Memphis Grizzlies vs New York Knicks Prediction & Match Preview - February 2nd, 2022 | NBA Season 2021-22

Ja Morant and the visiting Memphis Grizzlies will take on the New York Knicks on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden. [Photo: Beale Street Bears]

The Memphis Grizzlies continue their three-game Eastern Conference swing with a matchup against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday. It will be the first meeting between the two teams this season.

Ja Morant was his usual impressive self in an overtime loss to the Joel Embiid-less Philadelphia 76ers in their last game. Despite another spectacular display, they were unable to keep the undermanned team from pulling an upset. The Memphis Grizzlies should be raring to get back into the win column against the Big Apple team.

The New York Knicks snapped a three-game losing slump with a win against the lowly Sacramento Kings. At one point, the Knicks’ lead ballooned to 29 after playing with determination and hustle on both ends of the floor. Alec Burks, Evan Fournier and Julius Randle made their presence felt to lead the team to the win.

Victory Tuesday 📸 https://t.co/G2gsz4FZ0v

New York’s struggling offense will face an acid test against one of the best defenses in the NBA this season. The bench once again provided stretches of badly-needed spark to help the starters sustain their great start. The New York Knicks will need to be significantly better to beat the Memphis Grizzlies.

Match Details

Fixture: Memphis Grizzlies vs New York Knicks | 2021-22 NBA season

Date & Time: Wednesday, February 2nd; 7:30 PM EST (Thursday, February 3rd; 6:00 AM IST)

Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY

Memphis Grizzlies Preview

The Memphis Grizzlies are no longer pushovers in the NBA. [Photo: Grizzly Bear Blues]

The loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, who didn’t have one of the leading MVP contenders this season, was another blip in the Memphis Grizzlies’ performance. After winning 11 straight games, they have since gone 10-4. Their defensive rating has slipped up a bit, which was the main reason for the losses.

The Memphis Grizzlies' DRTG for the season is 108.4 but has gone down to 110.3 in the last 10 games. They allowed the 76ers to hit almost half of their field-goal attempts in their last game. The 49% shooting clip was simply outstanding given Joel Embiid’s absence in the game.

If they can get back to their defensive identity, they should be winning more games consistently.

Key Player - Ja Morant

The first-time All-Star and starter is off to one of the best breakout seasons in recent years. After last year’s All-Star snub, Ja Morant is squarely knocking into MVP conversations this season. The ultra-athletic point guard leads the NBA in points in the paint per game with 15.6. He stands only 6’3 while the rest of the names in the top 10 are 6’9 or taller.

Ja Morant leads the league in PITP per game! He now averages 15.6 points in the paint. Again he’s the only guard on the list and 6” shorter than the next shortest (LeBron).
Ja Morant is on a different level! 📈🥽💥🚀 #JaMorant4MVP @JaMorant @memgrizz @WorldWideWob https://t.co/QUORLOMaKy

It isn’t just Morant’s dominating interior scoring that’s making the Memphis Grizzlies hum. The 22-year-old superstar brings a ton of confidence and aggressiveness to a team that is tough to match. While it’s his freakish athleticism that stands out, he’s also become one of the smartest players on the court.

He makes the Memphis Grizzlies one of the most dangerous teams in the league right now.

Memphis Grizzlies Predicted Lineup

G - Ja Morant | G - Desmond Bane | F - Ziaire Williams | F - Jaren Jackson Jr. | C - Steven Adams

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New York Knicks Preview

The New York Knicks need to consistently play with more effort and determination to turn their season around. [Photo: Daily Knicks]

It’s very difficult to read too much into the New York Knicks’ dismantling of the Sacramento Kings. Sacramento is just one of the worst defensive units in the league and has been leaking points in the last few weeks. It was a game that they were supposed to win and they did it as expected.

Going from Sacramento to a matchup with the surging Memphis Grizzlies is a different matter. While the Grizzlies’ defense has slowed down a bit, they have the best player on Wednesday. Ja Morant has been near unstoppable in the last few games, and the New York Knicks will have to defend him by committee.

Julius Randle played with visible effort and hustle, particularly on defense. It was a welcome sight that the MSG faithful will be demanding more from him every time he takes the floor. Alec Burks and Evan Fournier were superb from three-point distance. If they sustain that performance, the New York Knicks will become more difficult to contain.

Key Player - Julius Randle

Head coach Tom Thibodeau is rumored to be open to the idea of trading Julius Randle, which is almost too hard to believe considering he was an All-Star last season. Randle’s obvious decline in performance has led to reports coming out that the front office is putting him on the trade block if the right offer comes.

Against the Sacramento Kings, he showed what he consistently did just a season ago. He was a force on offense, set up teammates and sprinted back to play defense or go for a fastbreak. The fact that he’s almost six points off of his average last year is a big sign of his struggles. The New York Knicks have rarely seen the All-Star Randle that led the team to the playoffs last campaign.

Julius Randle could be available for right return, per @IanBegley

“It’s worth noting that one team in touch with a member of the organization recently is under the impression that Julius Randle would be available for the right return.” https://t.co/hx3QDVai9T

However, he remains the focal point of the offense, which makes him the de facto key player for the New York Knicks.

New York Knicks Predicted Lineup

G - Kemba Walker | G - Evan Fournier | F - RJ Barrett | F - Julius Randle | C - Mitchell Robinson

Grizzlies vs Knicks Match Prediction

The New York Knicks are 13-14 at Madison Square Garden, which is only better than two of the worst teams in the NBA this season. If their ineptitude and lack of effort show up yet again, they could struggle all night and possibly take the L against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Where to watch the Grizzlies vs Knicks game

ESPN will air the game live on national TV. Local coverage of the matchup is available via MSG Network and Bally Sports Memphis.

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