Knicks pummel Grizzlies for impressive win over one of NBA’s best teams

This time, the Knicks measured up. 

Facing the NBA’s hottest team with a top 5 record, the Knicks not only toppled the Grizzlies on Monday night at MSG, they battered them into early submission behind a balanced attack and two-way domination from Mikal Bridges. 

The Knicks got what they wanted offensively in the 143-106 annihilation, while the Grizzlies devolved into a turnover mess when they had the rock.

The result was a 26-point lead in the third quarter, a mass concession substitution from the Grizzlies with about five minutes remaining in the fourth, and an overall Knicks performance ranking near their best of the season. 

“We’re going in the right direction,” Bridges said. 

Bridges dropped 28 points and, as the primary defender, stifled Ja Morant.

He was also a ridiculous plus-43 in 34 minutes for the Knicks (31-16), who are riding a four-game winning streak and scored over 140 points in consecutive games for the first time since the 1965-66 season. 

That’s a franchise record of nearly 60 years. 

Monday’s blowout wasn’t anticipated against the Grizzlies (31-16), who entered with an NBA-best six-game winning streak.

But the Knicks landed the first blow and Memphis, which trailed for the final 46 minutes, never countered. 

They were run out of MSG as the Knicks dropped 83 points in the second half.

The final minutes became a Knicks highlight show, with Bridges leaping for an alley-oop and Miles McBride throwing down a tomahawk jam that had the Garden fans in a frenzy. 

“It was fun seeing that,” said Jalen Brunson, who watched the garbage-time show from the bench. “You see how we react on the bench. It’s always fun when you see everyone out there playing great. It’s fun.” 

Brunson scored 20 points in just 25 minutes.

Karl-Anthony Towns added 24 points with 11 rebounds in 33 minutes.

Josh Hart played just 26 minutes — his lowest total since opening night in Boston.

om Thibodeau kept his starters’ minutes low because of the blowout, and New York’s bench impressed behind McBride (14 points) and Precious Achiuwa (14). 

“We’ve shown that we can do it,” Brunson said about the stifling defense. “And so even when we’re BS’ing, we know how to hold each other accountable. And so it’s not going to be like this every night. We’re not going to [get 20 steals] every night. But we have the ability to do it, and as long as we’re holding each other accountable, that’s all we can ask for.” 

The Grizzlies committed 26 turnovers, failing to recreate their familiar high-octane offense from much of this season.

Morant, playing at MSG for the first time since 2022, was bottled up and lacked aggression, scoring just 10 points on 13 shots in 27 minutes.

Jaren Jackson Jr., an All-Star candidate, led Memphis with 21 points. He was their only threat but also committed four turnovers. 

“I thought Mikal really worked [guarding Morant],” Thibodeau said. “I thought our team did. And a guy like [Morant], you try to make him work. He’s a superstar. He’s an offense unto himself. Some shots he just missed that were good shots for him that didn’t go in. But I thought our team really worked together and I really like the effort Mikal put forth. It’s not an easy job. There’s constant pressure when Ja has the ball and he plays incredibly fast.” 

The Knicks are no longer winless against the top 3 teams in each conference.

They’re 0-1 against the Celtics, 0-1 against the Cavs, 0-2 against the Thunder, 0-1 against the Rockets and now 1-0 against the Grizzlies. 

“They’re a tough matchup that’s a good test for us,” Thibodeau said. “And we had to be tied together. I loved our overall activity. I thought our defensive activity was terrific. Big-time multiple effort game. We got 20 steals. OG [Anunoby] and Mikal were all over the place. And that set the tone for us.”