On February 7, Beijing time, the New York Knicks defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 123-113 and successfully avoided a second consecutive defeat. Although the Grizzlies' Rose returned to New York, the team also suffered a 12-player injury suspension. In the first quarter, the Knicks led by 9 points at 27-18; In the second quarter, the Knicks extended the margin to 24 points and ended the first half with a 63-39 lead.
The second half was basically garbage time, but in the final quarter, the Grizzlies narrowed the deficit to 10 points and ultimately lost 113-123. The Knicks have gone 10-1 in their last 11 games, but they have also suffered five injuries to their core players in a row.
Brunson's outstanding performance was a highlight of the competition. He played the full 12 minutes of the first quarter, shooting 7-of-10 from the field and 1-of-2 from three-point range to finish with 17 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist and 2 steals. His single-handedness completely blew up the Grizzlies' backcourt. Brunson played 16 minutes in the first half and contributed 19 points and five assists. Despite the large margin of play in the second quarter, Brunson played only four minutes. The Knicks already have three players in double figures: Brunson, Achiuwa and Hatten.
The Grizzlies had a terrible run throughout the game, with only Vince Williams scoring 13 points in a double-double. In the third quarter, Brunson still played well, scoring 7 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal on 3-of-6 shooting in a single quarter. Devine also performed well, scoring 9 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist and 1 block on 4-of-5 shooting in the first quarter. Together, these two backcourt players contributed 20+ points to help the Knicks maintain their lead. Hart, Hatten, Achiuwa and McBride also scored in double figures.
With 5:34 left in the final quarter, Brunson had 27 points and 8 assists, but he injured his foot in an offensive game and had to return to the locker room to accept **. Brunson didn't return to the game, where he played 31 minutes and finished with 27 points, eight assists and three rebounds on 11-of-21 shooting. Devin hit a lean-back shot in the final moments of the game to seal the win for the Knicks. He finished up with a game-high 32 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists.
Despite the victory, the Knicks have also suffered from a series of injuries recently. Mitchell Robinson's ankle season reimbursement, Randle's return date for a shoulder injury is undecided, Anunoby's elbow injury is undetermined, Grimes' right knee injury is undetermined, Sims is sick, and Brunson has an ankle sprain. This makes the future prospects of the Knicks uncertain. In the fierce competition of professional sports, the strategy of a coach is crucial to the success or defeat of a team.
However, Coach Thibodeau's core scrap strategy has sparked widespread controversy. This strategy not only lacks human care, but also greatly destroys the physical and mental health of athletes. In the case of Downs and Wiggins, they are often asked to take on too much playing time and offensive tasks in games, resulting in physical and mental fatigue and injury. In the long run, this overuse of core players will have a serious impact on their careers. Therefore, we should criticize Thibodeau's strategy of abolishing people, and call on more coaches and teams to pay attention to the health and long-term development of athletes. A new season of sports