MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) – The entrance to the visitors' dressing room was covered with soaked towels, ice cubes scattered on the soggy floor, vestiges of the successful return to Memphis for New York Knicks coach David Fizdale .

A year after the Grizzlies dismissed Fizdale, he came back Sunday with his Knicks and won 103-98. The win – the third in a row in New York – led to a celebration: the Fizdale team sprinkled him with water and ice, while he was entering the locker room after the match.

"You feel emotional because I can not put it into words," said Fizdale.

Enes Kanter scored a career-high 26 rebounds and scored 21 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. finished with 22 points. Kanter led a third-quarter rally that wiped out a 13-point lead in Memphis, which seemed to predict a bitter comeback for Fizdale.

Emmanuel Mudiay added 17 points and Trey Burke was 15 to help the Knicks.

Marc Gasol led Memphis with 27 points and Mike Conley, 23 points. Jaren Jackson Jr. had 16 points and seven blocks setting a franchise record for a Grizzlies rookie.

Fizdale may have downplayed the real emotions of his return, but his team was aware of the importance of the game. In fact, a mediocre first period left the Knicks led 52-43 at the break, leading to a Fizdale tip.

"At the approach of halftime, Fizz knew we had that kind of state of mind to play in the game," said Hardaway. "He told us at half-time just to calm us down and not talk about it, that's why we were playing, we were playing for the coach."

The third quarter showed a difference in the spirit of the Knicks. After Memphis dug the gap at 13 early in the period, Kanter began to assert his strength inside and on the boards. Kanter's pioneered around the basket to score 14 points in 6 shots on 9 and got 11 rebounds in the frame.

New York dominated Memphis 35-19 in the third, including a 23-6 run.

"I want my teammates to shoot with confidence," Kanter said of his rebound. "Every time you miss, I'm going to get the rebound, so pull it with confidence."

Despite the rally in the third quarter, the two teammates were still tied at 93L and he remained 1:49. The Knicks scored the following six points, leading to the Fizdale celebration.

"I think we did not do a lot of things," said Memphis coach, J.B. Bickerstaff, who became acting coach of the Grizzlies after Fizdale's dismissal. He now holds the permanent position. "The most disappointing thing is that our guys had an identity, and in the third quarter we did not do it."

TIP-INS

Knicks: Fizdale acknowledged that everything was late when he arrived at FedExForum for the match. "It was weird," he says. "I parked and I told myself" OK, I do not mind my place. "He then added that the Grizzlies coach, JB Bickerstaff, was" in my place The victory ended a series of seven defeats in New York at Memphis, New York had not defeated the Grizzlies on home soil since 110-108 victory on March 9, 2011. The previous rebound of the Kanter's career was 24 against Chicago on November 15th.

Grizzlies: Memphis struggled with early free throws, making only 3 of his first 9 in the game. The Grizzlies would finish the night of the 11th to 19th of the line. . Conley only converted 8 out of 24 shots, including 2 out of 10 to 3 points. The Grizzlies had a franchise record of 19 blocks, including 7 from Jackson, setting a block franchise record by a rookie. The previous franchise record for the blocks was 17 on November 12, 2004 against Golden State.

NO ANIMOSITY: NO REGRETS

Fizdale's departure has long been linked to the fact that he does not get along well with Gasol, including on the Grizzlies' bench in the fourth quarter of the last Memphis match before Fizdale's dismissal. The Knicks coach said the air had been purified during a conversation between the two men in the summer. "I credit him, he made me a better coach and he made me a better person," said Fizdale. "It will not be a story for you guys anymore." Then Fizdale mentioned that Gasol was working on a ship that rescued migrants who capsized off the coast of Libya. "This guy took a migrant out of the ocean this summer – it's way more important than a basketball beef," Fizdale said.

Gasol and Fizdale hugged each other close to the midfield after the match. After the match, Gasol said, "It was good, it was a competitive match, we asked about our families, everything is fine."

FOLLOWING

Knicks: In Detroit Tuesday night.

Grizzlies: Welcome Toronto Tuesday night.

___

More NBA AP: https://apnews.com/tag/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, disseminated, rewritten or redistributed.