If the Knicks intend to make a serious and upward move in the Eastern Conference standings, the game on Friday night has begun a favorable stretch for them.
And their furious return in a 133-129 overtime win over the Grizzlies at the Garden could only serve as a springboard.
Top scorers Julius Randle and RJ Barrett were largely invisible for three quarters, but the duo combined for 23 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, while the Knicks overcame a 13-point hole. Their frantic comeback allowed the Knicks to win the first of a string of 11 games they will play nine times in front of their home fans.
Randle failed to score his first field goal until 3:16, remaining in the third quarter, but finished with 15 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds for the fifth triple-double of the season.
Barrett managed just five points in three quarters, but won 15 the rest of the way, including a late-game tie-breaking maneuver and a 3:15 pointer with 1:15 remaining in overtime.
Alec Burks scored nine of his 19 points in the extra session, Immanuel Quickley finished with 20 points and Derrick Rose added 19 points from the bench for the Knicks (26-27), who had lost five of their previous six games for to fall to eighth place in the playoffs in the Eastern Conference.
Ja Morant finished with 26 points and six assists, while Jonas Valanciunas scored 20 points with 14 rebounds for the Grizzlies (26-24).
With the top six teams in each conference automatically qualifying for the postseason game – and seventh to 10th under the game scenarios – the Knicks face another major home game on Sunday against Raptors no.
“You have to win games. One game at a time and take care of business, and the rest will work out on its own, ”Barrett said before the game.
“I think you’re heading for stretching, the most important thing – try to build that habit from the beginning of the season,” added coach Tom Thibodeau. “And this is the trap you fall into – you start to look like that. I think every team is now facing the challenge of watching a condensed program. So how do you maximize this time?
“Being ready to play and understanding what’s going on in every game is essential at this time of the season.”
Barrett did not say a word when asked if he was considering the two draft picks – former college teammate Zion Williamson of the Pelicans and Morant of the Grizzlies.
“My game speaks for itself,” Barrett said. “I mean, you can look at our numbers, see the success of our team. It doesn’t really matter as long as I continue to improve as a player, I will be happy. ”
While Barrett and Randle combined for just six points in two quarters, Rose finished the first half with 13 in 16 minutes off the bench to keep the Knicks 60-51 at halftime.
Elfrid Payton bounced back from early trouble and scored five straight points to reduce the deficit to four points at 3:38 in the third quarter.
Valanciunas and Morant combined for 10 points in a 16-7 run to push Memphis back to 13 (84-71) in the middle of the third quarter.
But Knicks’ second unit faced a new comeback with a lob dunk Obi Toppin and a Quickley 3 pointer that draws them back to seven entering lately. Toppin (eight points) added another slam at the start of the fourth.
Randle’s three-point game drew the Knicks 112-109 with 61 seconds left, before Barrett equalized with three free throws, with 37 ticks left on the clock.
A single free-kick by Morant and Valanciunas lifted Memphis two late, but Barrett led the left and scored a short equalizer with 8.8 seconds left to force overtime.