NY Knicks: Previewing The Upcoming Slate of Games
By Toby Jaffe
NY Knicks vs. a formidable Milwaukee Bucks team
The NY Knicks’ first win of the season came in a 130-110 blowout against the Bucks at MSG on December 27th, 2020. The Knicks shot 16-27 from three that night, good for 59%; while the Buck went a dismal 7-38 from beyond the arc. Such is professional basketball in the 21st century.
Julius Randle enjoyed a near triple-double with 29 points, 14 rebounds, and 7 assists. Elfrid Payton scored 27 on 75% shooting, while Alec Burks and RJ Barrett put in 18 and 17 points respectively.
This initial matchup was such an emphatic blowout that Jared Harper, Theo Pinson, and Ignas Brazdeikis all saw garbage time minutes late in the fourth quarter.
The December 27th performance would be the start of a five-wins-in-six-games stretch for the Knicks. The Bucks responded to this loss by shooting an astounding 29-51 from 3 (!!!!) two nights later in Miami, an NBA record-setting performance.
Again, such is professional basketball in the 21st century.
It’s easy to imagine Bucks fans being underwhelmed and disappointed by their team’s performance this year, given the lofty regular season heights of 2018-2019 and 2019-2020… not to mention the lingering frustration related to consecutive early playoff exits. Sure, their 22-14 record is good for 3rd in the Eastern Conference and Giannis Antetokounmpo is enjoying another eye-popping statistical season after signing a long-term extension… it’s just that this is a team by now expected to dominate the Eastern conference and firmly compete for a championship every year.
As of now, The Bucks are a fringe contender, and difficult to take seriously in the playoffs until Coach Budenholzer and Giannis Antetokounmpo figure out how to deal with the “wall” defenses that smart teams have employed.
That said, the Bucks, who the Knicks will play in Milwaukee on March 11th and March 27th, still represent a formidable challenge. They are 5th in offensive rating, 9th in the league in three-point attempts, and 4th in percentage. They are almost unbeatable when the long-range shots are falling. Giannis, Middleton, and Jrue Holiday are among the best 3-man cores the Knicks will face all year.
Jrue Holiday did not play in the December 27th matchup and will test the Knicks’ backcourt and overall pick and roll defense. The Knicks were without several eventual mainstays that night as well, including rookies like Immanuel Quickley and Obi Toppin.
Nerlens Noel will have to pick up the slack inside against the Milwaukee front-court as Mitchell Robinson is still ailing from his hand injury and Taj Gibson continues to nurse his ankle. A net 1-1 split against the Bucks in the upcoming games would be a net positive.