Memphis Grizzlies vs New York Knicks Prediction & Betting Tips - NBA

Prediction published on 13/01/2024, 06:16  by Joseph King | Modified on 13/01/2024 at 06:31 in NBA Predictions

The 14-24 Memphis Grizzlies host the 22-15 New York Knicks for this winter-conference matchup on Saturday evening. It’s been a tough year for the Grizzlies who have been forced to eat some good-old fashioned humble pie. They were able to back up their trash talk last season when they won 51 games and finished second in the standings. However, the Ja Morant suspension and the absence of key defensive player Steven Adams means that the Grizzlies are sitting 13th in the West and with their playoff hopes quickly fading away. To make matters worse, Ja Morant will now be out for the remainder of the season after suffering a shoulder tear, meaning the 24-year-old played just nine games this campaign. The Grizzlies responded positively by winning the first two games following the Morant injury but lost their most recent appearance 128-119 to the Clippers.

The Knicks are building some momentum as we approach the second half of the regular season. With 22 wins and 16 losses, New York currently sits fifth in the Eastern Conference standings, just 1.5 games behind Philadelphia in third. The Knicks made the headlines a few weeks ago when they decided to ship RJ Barrett and Quickly to the Raptors for 3-and-D specialist OG Anunoby. New York has looked excellent since then, posting a 5-1 record with their only loss coming in a 128-124 defeat to the Mavericks in the team’s last outing. The swap of Barrett to Anunoby makes this Knicks squad look more well-balanced. Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle can now focus on being the primary ball-handlers and scorers with each seemingly benefitting from the change. Randle is averaging 28.3 points per game in the last six games while Brunson is averaging 25.2 over the same stretch.