Monday was supposed to be a tough test for the New York Knicks with Ja Morant and the Grizzlies in town, but they passed with flying colors. New York cruised to a 143-106 win over the third-best team in the West and one of the most electrifying offenses in the league.
The Knicks have been criticized all season for not being a top defensive team. The script flipped, as New York is one of the best offensive squads in the league, but the defense hasn't caught up. Well, it did against Memphis.
The Grizzlies finished the game with 26 turnovers. If that wasn't bad enough, Morant scored 10 points (5-of-13), the lowest amount he's scored in over a month. He had a team-worst +/- of -41. Who is to thank for Morant's poor performance? Mikal Bridges. He primarily guarded Morant and made his life miserable.
You've heard it said a million times this season, but the Knicks paid a high price for Bridges. The first few weeks of the season were rocky, but then his shots started to fall. It took even longer for his defense to catch up, and he's still been inconsistent on that end. However, against the Grizzlies, Bridges was all over the place (and so were his teammates).
Knicks' defense shines in win over top Western Conference squad
New York's defense has been average (at best) all season. Fans have wondered what the front office should do to address that at the trade deadline. Leon Rose and Co. could still make a move, but Monday's win proved the Knicks have it within them to be a great defensive team.
Bridges isn't the only one who had a big game on that end. OG Anunoby finished with six steals, four defensive rebounds, and one block. Josh Hart posted eight defensive rebounds (out of 10) and one steal. Karl-Anthony Towns had five defensive rebounds (out of 11) and two steals. Jalen Brunson even had a couple of steals himself.
You can't forget about the bench. Precious Achiuwa had four steals, two blocks, and only two fouls. Miles McBride posted four steals and a block. Landry Shamet also joined the block party.
New York's defense played its most complete game of the season. Everything clicked. The Knicks put the Grizzlies in uncomfortable positions, resulting in turnovers. It was everything fans had been waiting to see.
Every game won't be like Mondays (wouldn't that be nice?), but let's not act like New York can't be a gritty defensive team. It takes discipline and effort.
The Knicks' contender status has been questioned because of their defense, but Monday could've been the start of something new. The rest of the league might not have been paying attention, but they should've been. It's up to the Knicks to uphold that standard now.