FILE — Derrick Rose #4 of the New York Knicks dribbles during the second half against the Charlotte Hornets at Madison Square Garden on April 20, 2021 in New York City. Sarah Stier/Getty Images/AFP
Julius Randle scored 28 points, Derrick Rose added eight of his season-high 25 points in the fourth quarter and the surging New York Knicks recorded a 118-104 victory over the host Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night.
Randle struggled with his shot at times, finishing 9 of 23 from the field. However, he sank five 3-pointers, including two in the final four minutes after Memphis got a 17-point deficit down to five. He also hit a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to end the first half.
Rose shot 11 of 15 from the field — all inside the 3-point arc, hitting an array of mid-range jumpers and layups.
🌹 @drose puts up a season-high 25 off the @nyknicks bench! pic.twitter.com/nSzykxQPAS
— NBA (@NBA) May 4, 2021
New York (37-28) won for the 12th time in 13 games, a hot stretch that began with them overcoming a 15-point deficit to post a four-point overtime win over Memphis on April 9. The Knicks improved to 2-0 on a six-game road trip and remained a game ahead of the Atlanta Hawks for fourth place in the Eastern Conference.
New York led for the final 37:07.
The Knicks were on top 97-80 entering the fourth, but the Grizzlies were within 101-96 on a layup by Ja Morant with 5:28 left.
The Knicks have won 12 of their last 13.
They are 21-8 with Derrick Rose this season. pic.twitter.com/f6vtRAe6AJ
— StatMuse (@statmuse) May 4, 2021
Memphis trailed 106-101 following a 3-pointer by Desmond Bane with 2:11 left, but less than a minute later, Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins was ejected and the Knicks took a 112-101 lead on a layup off the glass by Rose with 70 seconds left.
Morant was ejected with 62 seconds left, and Randle finished off New York’s win with a 3-pointer in the final minute.
RJ Barrett added 15, Reggie Bullock chipped in 13 and Elfrid Payton had 10 for the Knicks, who shot 50.6 percent from the floor and hit 14 of 27 3-point tries (51.9 percent).
Dillon Brooks led Memphis (32-32) with 25 points but went 0-for-5 in a scoreless fourth quarter. Bane added 22 for the Grizzlies, who dropped into ninth place in the Western Conference, a half-game behind the Golden State Warriors.
The Grizzlies lost for the fourth time in five games and got a quiet night from Morant, who was held to eight points on 2-of-14 shooting from the field. Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 15 points, Kyle Anderson had 13 and Jonas Valanciunas contributed 11 points and 16 rebounds.
Memphis made 39.5 percent of its field-goal attempts and hit 16 of 41 (39 percent) from long range.