Knicks at Grizzlies
The New York Knicks appeared to be headed for a prime position in the NBA draft lottery before knocking off a pair of contenders in the last two games. The Knicks will try to make it three in a row against top-tier competition when they visit the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday in the opener of a three-game trip.
New York's winning streak is its first of the season and came about after the team held the New Orleans Pelicans to 39.6 percent shooting in a 114-109 victory on Friday. "Our first two in a row. We're riding with this one," Knicks coach David Fizdale told reporters "We're gonna roll with this one for a little bit. ... I think the credit was - I thought our defense really came to play for the most part. They shot 39 percent from the field, and to get them to that, obviously you gotta get lucky with them missing. But I thought our guys competed in a way that helped that number." The Grizzlies know something about playing hard defense and allow an NBA-low average of 100.8 points. Memphis had a five-game winning streak come to an end with a 112-107 overtime setback at the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday.
TV: 6 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), FS South (Memphis)
ABOUT THE KNICKS (6-14): New York is leaning on its young players and received another solid performance from rookie shooting guard Allonzo Trier on Friday. The Arizona product scored a season-high 25 points on 9-of-12 shooting in 34 minutes off the bench and is shooting 50.5 percent from the floor, including 48 percent from beyond the arc, in November. "I think we've just been growing, starting to understand each other better, starting to understand the things that we need to do in order to close out games," Trier told reporters of the team. "I think it's the little things, the attention to detail things that we were better at tonight that made the difference in us winning."
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (12-6): Memphis was whistled for 29 personal fouls and point guard Mike Conley fouled out in 30 minutes on Friday, leading the team to question some of the calls. "Our defense is where we live, our guys know that," coach J.B. Bickerstaff told reporters. "It's frustrating when we are not allowed to defend the way that we are. That's our reputation and it's frustrating. We're going to play this style of basketball, we deserve the respect because of the character of the guys we have, to play this style of basketball." Center Marc Gasol anchors that defense and earned his fifth consecutive double-double with 27 points and 13 rebounds on Friday.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Knicks leading scorer Tim Hardaway Jr. (23.3 points) was held to seven points on 2-of-15 shooting Friday.
2. Memphis rookie PF Jaren Jackson Jr. is averaging 15.8 points on 59.1 percent shooting over the last six games.
3. The teams split the two-game series in each of the last two campaigns, with the home team winning each meeting.