By: Daniel Carp, Grizzlies.com Contributor
New York Knicks
Record: 14-56
Standings: 15th in Eastern Conference, fifth in Atlantic Division
Starting Five: PG Langston Galloway, SG Alexey Shved, SF Lance Thomas, PF Lou Amundson, C Andrea Bargnani
Head Coach: Derek Fisher (first season with team)
Last time out
Playing without All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry, the Raptors used a 12-0 fourth-quarter run to breeze past the Knicks 106-89 Sunday evening at the Air Canada Centre. After New York was able to cut its deficit to 78-72 with nine minutes remaining, Toronto scored on four consecutive possessions to open up a commanding 18-point advantage. The Raptors were sloppy with the basketball, turning it over 16 times, but made a living from the free-throw line, where they shot 24-of-29 on the game.
Shooting guard DeMar DeRozan led the Raptors with 23 points, adding seven rebounds and five assists. Power forward Tyler Hansbrough added a season-high 18 points off the bench, shooting 7-of-8 from the floor in just 18 minutes of action. The Knicks were led by Lance Thomas' 24 points.
Last time versus Memphis
The depleted Knicks did not have enough firepower to hang with the Grizzlies, falling 105-83 when the teams met Jan. 5 at FedExForum. Hampered by injuries and short-staffed by a trade that sent J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert to the Cavaliers that day, New York was forced to play a small, makeshift lineup against Memphis and paid the ultimate price.
The Grizzlies took advantage of the Knicks' lack of size, scoring 58 points in the paint and using a third-quarter surge to hand New York its 12th consecutive loss in what would become a franchise-record 16-game losing skid.
Point guard Mike Conley led the way for Memphis, scoring 14 of his 22 points in the third quarter and adding seven rebounds and seven assists. The Grizzlies got 41 points from their bench, with all eight reserves who played finding their way into the scoring column. Small forward Quincy Acy notched 19 points off the bench for the Knicks.
Key matchup
Keep an eye on the battle in the middle between Memphis' Marc Gasol and New York's Andrea Bargnani. The Knicks enter Monday's contest boasting one of the league's most anemic offenses, ranking 29th in the NBA and averaging just 92.3 points per game. After losing Carmelo Anthony and Jose Calderon to season-ending injuries, Bargnani is one of the team's only offensive options, averaging 14.4 points per game on the year. Gasol has played well but struggled with foul trouble as of late, fouling out of two of Memphis' last three games. Two of the NBA's veteran, European centers should make for an intriguing matchup in Monday's contest.
MISC. NOTES
Injury notes
Shooting guard Tim Hardaway, Jr., missed Sunday's loss to the Raptors with a sprained right wrist. Small forward Cleanthony Early sat out with a sprained left ankle.
Race to the bottom
With most of the league fighting for playoff spots this spring, Knicks fans have their eyes on a different race—the race for the No. 1 pick in next year's NBA draft. At 14-56, New York currently has a 1.5 game lead on Minnesota for the worst record in the NBA. The 76ers and Lakers are also in contention for the league's bottom spot, which will receive 25-percent odds to land the top pick in the 2015 draft.
One obscure stat
As NCAA action rages on, it's worth noting that five different players on the Knicks roster helped lead their teams to the Final Four—Cole Aldrich (Kansas), Carmelo Anthony (Syracuse), Cleanthony Early (Wichita State), Tim Hardaway, Jr. (Michigan), Lance Thomas (Duke). Aldrich, Anthony and Thomas each won national championships.