Marc Gasol Scores 37 Points as Grizzlies Overpower Knicks 103-95

27. Final. 103. 211. 95

Saturday night the New York Knicks battled the “grit and grind” Memphis Grizzlies, and surprisingly the game was high scoring to start.

It was a frantic paced opening quarter, with the Knicks leading 31-28 after one-quarter of play. Which is very surprising considering both teams are in the lower echelon of pace played, as per NBA.com.

Kristaps Porzingis led the way for New York in the first quarter, as superstar Carmelo Anthony missed his second consecutive game with a sprained ankle. Porzingis scored ten of his 17 total points in the opening period.

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Porzingis had a spectacular play in the first quarter, in which he showed off his ball handling skills, as well as his coordination and agility. The 7’3″ rookie took Marc Gasol off the dribble from the three-point line, split-dribbled into the paint where he semi-lost control as Zach Randolph impeded his drive, but was still able to score by shooting the basketball over his head.

Porzingis again showed off his ball handling skills in the second quarter, as the 7’3″ Latvian stole the ball from Gasol and threw an alley-opp pass to Derrick Williams from near halfcourt. WHAT A PASS! This man is 7’3″!

REPLAY: @kporzee w/ the sweet dime on the run to @DWXXIII! #NYKvsMEM https://t.co/YJIngqe3zm
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) January 17, 2016

The Grizzlies was able to keep up with the Knicks, as Gasol scored 11 points of his game high 37 points in the first quarter. Gasol dominated the game throughout but especially when it counted, scoring 24 points in the second half. Gasol finished just one points shy of his career high in points scored Saturday night.

New York Knicks /

New York Knicks

The game was close throughout, with 12 ties and 17 lead changes. Close throughout, that is until the fourth quarter… with the game tied at 73 after three-quarters of play, Memphis scored the first bucket in the final period and never looked back.

In the fourth quarter, the Grizzlies lived up to their “grit and grind” slogan – completely shutting down the Knicks in the final period. Memphis forced New York into 33.3% shooting from the field in the fourth quarter. The Knicks were in complete disarray, taking heavily contested shots as the shot clock expired. Horribel shots such as a Jerian Grant step back three-pointer and Jose Calderon airball… just to name a few…

New York kept up with Memphis in the beginning of the fourth quarter, but momentum completely changed on a Kyle O’Quinn flagrant foul. O’Quinn stopped a would be easy basket by Gasol but winded up to do so… The Spaniard converted on the free-throws but the team could not capitalize on the additional possession, but did capitalize on a steal on the ensuing play – leading to a Tony Allen breakaway dunk.

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O’Quinn’s flagrant foul helped ignite a 14-2 Grizzlies’ run that gave Memphis a 94-79 lead with 3:22 remaining in the fourth quarter. A minute later Derek Fisher would wave the white flag by substituting all the starters out of the game.

The bench however was able to make a mini-comeback, getting as close as within five points with 29.5 seconds left in the game. Although it was too little, too late, as Memphis hit all their free-throws down the stretch to win the game 103-95.

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Nothing came out of the Matt Barnes–Derek Fisher feud on the court, the only thing that happened was that Barnes received a huge ovation during introductions and Fisher was loudly booed.

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