Gee, Grizz! Knicks Can't Avoid Memphis Blues

For Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks, it was deja vu all over again in New York City ... albeit in the worst way possible. 

The Knicks' $104 million man put up at least 30 points for the third straight game on Sunday night against the Memphis Grizzlies. But, in an almost identical scenario to Friday's overtime loss to Portland, his scoring heroics were overshadowed by a final, vital miss.

Brunson had two final shots to give the Knicks a win or extra period as they clawed their way back from a deficit that reached as high as a dozen. Both of his attempts on those possessions fell short, however, dooming New York to a 127-123 defeat at Madison Square Garden. Brunson previously had a tiebreaking opportunity on Friday, but his miss at the end of the period forced them into a fruitless overtime session against the Trail Blazers. 

Ja Morant instead stood as Sunday's hardwood hero for Memphis, getting his own rebound after a Mitchell Robinson rejection to put in the permanent go-ahead shot with just over 13 seconds remaining. It was the primary contribution to a 27-point, 14-assist, 10 rebounds night that made up his first triple-double of the season and the fifth of his career. 

The Knicks (9-11) have now dropped three straight at home, where they haven't won since Nov. 11. Both of their futile matchups with the Grizzlies (12-8) came down to the final seconds of regulation, as Cam Reddish forced overtime with a buzzer-beating triple in their first get-together in October.

Making things all the more painful for Brunson ... perhaps literally, as he was a game-time decision due to a quad injury sustained in the previous contest ... was that he was poised to be the hero shortly before Morant's putback: Brunson sank two at the foul line after he was inadvertently kicked by a fouled-out Dillon Brooks, putting the Knicks up 123-122 with 26 seconds left. It was one of four lead changes over the final 4:10 after the Knicks entered the fourth down by 10. 

Alas, Brunson's would-be winner, a pullup, missed and was rebounded by the All-Star Morant to officially ensure his triple-double. Making only one-of-two when he was immediately fouled, Brunson had another chance to reverse the Knicks' fortunes, but yet another miss, this one a would-be equalizer, sealed their fate.

Reddish, ironically, returned to the floor on Sunday after a three-game injury absence (groin), scoring 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting in 24 minutes off the bench. Fellow reserve Derrick Rose (two games out with a toe injury) likewise returned to the rotation but the Knicks also lost Immanuel Quickley to a knee ailment. 

Brunson wasn't the only one to lose a strong box score to another loss: Julius Randle fell one assist short of his own triple-double at 14 points and 10 rebounds while RJ Barrett had 22 points on 9-of-18 shooting. 

The Knicks will hit the road for a brief trip to Detroit on Tuesday when they battle the Pistons (7 p.m. ET, MSG) before tipping off a four-game homestand the following night against Milwaukee.

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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