The New York Knicks return to Madison Square Garden on November 11, 2025, looking to extend their perfect home record and reinforce their status as one of the Eastern Conference’s most disciplined and balanced teams. At 6-0 in front of their home crowd, the Knicks have found a winning formula built on suffocating defense, elite rebounding, and steady playmaking from Jalen Brunson, who continues to thrive as the team’s floor general and emotional leader. Under Tom Thibodeau’s direction, New York’s defensive identity has become its backbone, ranking among the top five in defensive efficiency. The Knicks force opponents into tough shots, protect the rim with physicality, and dominate the glass thanks to the efforts of Mitchell Robinson and Julius Randle. Robinson’s rebounding prowess has been particularly crucial—he leads the NBA in offensive boards per game—allowing New York to extend possessions and wear down opponents over time. Offensively, Brunson has continued to evolve as both a scorer and distributor, maintaining poise under pressure and showing an uncanny ability to create space for midrange jumpers or kick-outs to shooters. RJ Barrett’s development as a reliable two-way player has also boosted the Knicks’ versatility, as he provides secondary scoring while taking on challenging defensive assignments. Julius Randle, after a slow start to the season, has begun to regain his rhythm, attacking the paint with more control and providing consistent scoring on the block. The addition of Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart has further strengthened New York’s bench, giving Thibodeau trusted defenders and hustle players who can swing momentum in key stretches. Against the Memphis Grizzlies, the Knicks will focus on controlling tempo, limiting transition opportunities, and forcing the visitors into half-court sets where New York’s physical defense can dictate terms.

Expect Thibodeau to assign Barrett and Hart to slow down Desmond Bane, while Randle and Robinson look to neutralize Jaren Jackson Jr.’s impact in the paint. The Knicks’ ability to win the rebounding battle will likely be decisive; they currently lead the league in second-chance points, a category Memphis has struggled to defend. Offensively, Brunson will look to exploit mismatches against Memphis’s backcourt, using high pick-and-rolls to generate open looks or kick-outs for three-point shooters like Quentin Grimes and DiVincenzo. The key will be patience—Memphis’s defense, though inconsistent, is capable of stretches of elite rim protection, so shot selection and ball movement will determine efficiency. From a betting perspective, the Knicks remain a strong straight-up play at home, though their tendency to grind games out rather than blow teams away means their ATS results can vary. Still, their undefeated home record and the Grizzlies’ ongoing offensive struggles give New York a clear edge. If the Knicks maintain their intensity, limit turnovers, and capitalize on their physical advantages, they should be able to extend their home winning streak to seven. Ultimately, their combination of depth, defensive toughness, and composure in crunch time positions them as a legitimate threat in the East—and this matchup provides yet another opportunity to prove that the Garden is quickly becoming one of the most difficult arenas in basketball for any opponent to conquer.