
Everything was fine. Grizzlies were on six wins in a row when arriving in New York. Then all the seams gave in. “We are a little in difficulty when we play physical teams”,, explains Luke Kennardechoing an already well observed observation in Memphis. “Some evenings, we manage to manage it well. We must find this balance or be more regular, perhaps more physical. »»
As the referees generally let play, New York players were able to impose their muscles on the rebound, with Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart, to launch lethal transitions. Thus, with these races, again and again, they were able to write easy baskets and impose themselves easily.
“We were not there during the 48 minutes. The merit returns to the Knicks, which were good, excellent physically ”, underlines Taylor Jenkins. “We lived so many moments little characteristic of our game, in attack as in defense. It was clearly not our best evening. »»
Far too many lost balloons
Some figures can demonstrate this failed service. Grizzlies lost 26 balloons, and at least five per quarter. The Knicks used these additional ammunition to register 36 points. These were poorly guaranteed passes, not in the right timing, intercepted, dribbles that end badly …
“They were physically good”, insists the coach of Memphis. “We have difficult decisions to make, we struggled to conclude, so we have to give them this credit: they played a physical basketball and we were suffering all evening. »»
In addition to feasting offensively (28 points at 12/19 in the shoot), with a number of easy baskets in counterattack, Mikal Bridges also distinguished himself in defense against JA MORANT. The playmaker missed out on his match, little inspired, more busy complaining about the referees than being sharp, ending with 10 points and 4 lost balls, without ever being able to wake up his group, which has gradually flowed little.
“Mikal did a good job, the team as a whole” too “,, Tom Thibodeau analysis on the defensive work of his winger. “A guy like a joist, you have to make him work. It is a superstar, an attack itself. He lacked shots that were good for him but that did not come back. Our team worked well, I liked the bridges effort. »»