Knicks vs Grizzlies Picks, Prediction Today | Saturday, Jan. 13

Here's everything you need to know about Knicks vs. Grizzlies on Saturday, Jan. 13 — our expert Knicks vs Grizzlies betting picks and prediction for today.

On Saturday, the Grizzlies will play their second game in as many nights when they host the Knicks. This quick turnaround comes when Memphis is already without key players like Ja Morant and Marcus Smart due to injury.

Desmond Bane is the latest Grizzly who could have a spell on the sidelines after rolling his ankle in the third quarter of Friday's 128-119 loss to the Clippers. Bane will be a game-time decision against the Knicks.

The extent of these injuries hasn't gone unnoticed by the betting market, as the total dropped from 226 to 222.5. However, there's only been a slight adjustment in the point spread, with New York now laying eight points on the road instead of 7.5.

Thus, perhaps we shouldn't draw any assumptions between the injuries and the line movement for this game.

When facing this level of uncertainty, it's best to stick with what you know. In this preview, I'll share why I'm passing on either side or total in favor of a player prop.

Let's get to our Knicks vs. Grizzlies prediction and pick.

Pick: Isaiah Hartenstein under 9.5 points (-115)

Thursday's loss against Dallas snapped a string of five straight wins since OG Anunoby made his trade debut on New Year's Day. However, it wasn't for lack of trying, as New York rallied to cut a 19-point deficit in the fourth quarter down to one before ultimately losing 128-124.

The biggest surprise in that game was that New York didn't start the game with much defensive intensity. Dallas gained confidence in the game after scoring 44 points in the first quarter.

Even with the loss, New York still has the best defensive rating (104.9) per NBA.com since the start of 2024. Offensively, the new-look Knicks are averaging 118.8 points during that span compared to their season mark of 115.9 points per game.

While I didn't expect Anunoby to impact the Knicks as much as he has offensively, the balance he brings to the team is what really stands out. The Knicks are playing a more controlled game with better floor spacing and movement without the ball.

If you look at their season numbers, their pace stayed relatively flat from 98.39 possessions per game to 98 since Anunoby's arrival.

Anunoby does provide athleticism—particularly on the wing. We've seen New York's fastbreak opportunities rise from 15.3 points per game to 18.5 since his arrival.

Given New York's offensive improvement, I must admit that I was a bit surprised to see this total bet down against the Grizzlies.

Despite their loss to the Clippers, Memphis averaged 121.75 points over its last four games. The Grizzlies did much of their damage from behind the perimeter, averaging a league-best 18 3-pointers per game.

It's worth noting that the Grizzlies average 13.4 3-pointers on the season.

Bane is one of the Grizzlies' best perimeter players, as he leads the team with 3.3 field goals per game and is second in 3-point percentage (38.4%).

Thus, his availability can undoubtedly impact the Grizzlies' scoring output. However, I remain conflicted because the Grizzlies played without Bane for the entire fourth quarter against the Clippers and still produced a 40-point effort.

There's no question that the Grizzlies have been much better defensively than on offense. Per TeamRankings' efficiency metrics, they're currently ninth on defense and 29th on offense.

Jaren Jackson Jr. plays a big part in what the Grizzlies do as their rim protector. Although his numbers are slightly down, this matchup against the Knicks is one that he should have a distinct advantage in.

Although the Knicks parted with RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley in exchange for Anunoby, I've always felt the trade was more addition by subtraction. The Knicks needed to shore up the defensive part of their game, and Anunoby offered a different kind of threat on the wing.

I sense that New York is now more comfortable with its scoring options on the team. For example, players aren't being asked to do more than expected. That's been the case since Isaiah Hartenstein replaced an injured Mitchell Robinson in the starting lineup.

Initially, Hartenstein averaged closer to 20 minutes coming off the bench as Robinson's backup. But now, as a starter, he's playing upwards of 30 minutes per game.

However, his usage rate has actually gone down from 10.4% to 9.1% since becoming a starter.

Hartenstein's role with the team is really to contribute defensively and collect rebounds. That's already a full plate when going up against a quality opponent like Jackson Jr. This is not a spot where I'd expect Hartenstein to put up big numbers.

He's played in 38 games this season and scored in double figures only nine times.

If you're looking to find some correlation with the market betting this total under, Hartenstein's scoring prop of 9.5 points is an excellent place to start. After shopping around, I found that PointsBet has the best price on the board—under 9.5 points at -115 odds.

Pick: Isaiah Hartenstein under 9.5 points (-115)