Game Preview: Knicks vs Grizzlies- 02/3/19

It’s been quite a while since the Knicks won a game. Today New York (10-41) will have some new recruits to try and work some sorcery. In the previous game against Boston, with a mishmash of players, they held serve early on. The Celtics eventually figured them out, but this Knick team is not on any scouting report. Maybe Dennis Smith Jr can scream around Noah Vonleh’s swift and assertive dribble hand offs with more temerity than say... Trey Burke. Can you imagine a guy getting to the rim and finishing above it on one of those? Well you might want to get used to it.

Today’s game is against another of the league’s bottom feeders. Memphis (20-33) has won twice as many games but still manages to be a lottery bound squad. Currently slated to get the sixth pick. This might be a game the Knicks can sneak away with, especially if the Grizzlies provide some suspect effort. Matinee game, headed to the trade deadline, disgruntled vets... Call me crazy, but this might be the one.

Projected Starters

For Memphis Jaren Jackson Jr. is probable to play, but he missed the last game and Mike Conley has been listed as questionable. Besides them, the Grizzlies are in a bit of a pickle barrel when it comes to injuries. Also out for Memphis is Kyle Anderson, Garrett Temple, Dillon Brooks and Omri Casspi. Chandler Parsons is still a member of the team. That guy seems rich.

If Jevon Carter ends up getting a big chunk of time on Dennis Smith, it might not be a fun way to introduce oneself to the New York faithful. If that happens, just remember that he hunted and killed a triple double at the Garden last week. No matter what, it would seem folks are looking forward to seeing Dennis slang it on the hardwood today.

Who knows what will happen with Wesley Matthews and DeAndre Jordan. I’d bet they make appearances but don’t get more than 15 or 20 minutes. Show that they are good teammates and can get along despite an adverse situation and maybe that helps the Knicks engineer some trades to a playoff team looking to bolster their rotations.

No Enes, please.

Key Matchup

Touched on it a minute ago, but I want to see Young Dennis and Jevon Carter get nose to nose. Carter is a tireless defender that can get up under you and heat up the dribble with the best of them. Does he get Dennis to squeeze up some tough shots and make bad decisions? Will Dennis prove to be too overwhelming an entity to be contained by the Mad Dog? Do they make nicknames like they used to? Tune in, crime stoppers.

Prediction

The Grizzlies come out flat and don’t play together. After getting down by 17 they start to call their own numbers. Then Marc Gasol completely checks out of the game but still gets plenty of minutes. MSG makes fun of him relentlessly after airmailing a turn around jumper. He takes of his shoes and a sock, he sits down on the court and tries to grab Mario Hezonja by the leg in transition. He gets subbed out, goes directly to the locker room and starts weeping while cradling a weeks old pole caught salmon.

Knicks by 8.

Warm Up Music

Let’s see how this experiment goes! I can’t wait.