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Leading up to Wednesday night’s game between the New York Knicks and Memphis Grizzlies, I worried that this had the potential to be the most depressing matchup of the season. The Grizzlies got lucky in back-to-back draft lotteries, particularly in 2019 when they moved up one spot ahead of the Knicks and selected presumptive Rookie of the Year Ja Morant. The Knicks, meanwhile, are starting a bunch of lame veterans and playing out yet another lost season.
Then, just as the game tipped off, my cat, George Kitten, took a huge, stinky dump. It was an obvious sign of foreboding. That dump set the tone for most of the game, as the Knicks’ vets meandered through a lackluster performance and Morant shined like the young star our franchise will apparently never get en route to a 127-106 Memphis win. At one point, Morant finished the game with 18 points, 10 assists, zero turnovers, several highlight-reel plays, and a soul-crushing plus-42.
Towards the end of the game, Elfrid Payton, who put up some of the hollowest numbers you’ll ever see, shoved Jae Crowder, sparking a bit of a fracas. It was a Bush League play from a Bush League team. The Knicks fans, meanwhile, chanted “SELL THE TEAM.”
A loud "Sell the team" chant rises up at MSG with Knicks down 18 and a fracas on the court just broken up. MSG starts piping in loud music to break it up. Things are not going well in New York tonight. pic.twitter.com/X9zM0VQ3Vg
— Mike Vorkunov (@MikeVorkunov) January 30, 2020
Mitchell Robinson (10 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 4 blocks) was pretty much the lone highlight. Actually, Damyean Dotson (4-5 from three) continued to shoot well. Oh well...they’ll never start.