Knicks Top Grizzlies, Notching a Rare Garden Victory
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Eddy Curry scored 26 points and the Knicks beat the Memphis Grizzlies 98–90 last night, for just their second home victory of the season.
David Lee added a season-high 20 points, teaming with Curry to wear out the Grizzlies’ frontcourt. Curry, who had his career-best seventh straight game with 20 or more points, grabbed 15 rebounds before fouling out, and the Knicks shot a season-best 56.3% from the field.
Quentin Richardson also had 20 points and Stephon Marbury finished with 16 points and six assists.
The Knicks snapped a four-game losing streak at Madison Square Garden, where they are 2–7. Coach Isiah Thomas said his team’s home woes were mental, with players worried too much about boos from the home fans.
But the Knicks need to win at home now, or their season will get away from them. Yesterday’s game was the second in a stretch where New York plays a seasonhigh six straight — mostly against weak competition — and 10 of 11 at Madison Square Garden. Another small crowd, announced at 15,233,had little to boo about in a game the Knicks never trailed.
Hakim Warrick scored 19 points for the Grizzlies, who lost their third straight. Memphis trailed by double digits for much of the second half before closing within five in the closing minutes. The Knicks followed with a lucky break when Richardson hit a turnaround, fallaway shot off the wrong foot as the shot clock expired.
Stromile Swift scored 14 points and Mike Miller had 13 points, six rebounds and seven assists for the Grizzlies.
The Knicks finally got off to a good start at home, hitting eight of their first 11 shots to open a 19–9 lead on Lee’s jumper with 4:45 left in the first quarter. New York led by 12 late in the period before Lawrence Roberts and Warrick converted three-point plays in the final 35 seconds to cut the lead to 25–19.
With Curry and Lee getting numerous easy chances right under the basket, the Knicks shot 12-of-17 (71%) in the second quarter. The lead grew to 17 after Marbury scored five straight points, but Memphis clawed back and cut it to 55–46 at halftime after Miller and Chucky Atkins knocked down late 3-pointers.
