After winning three games in a row, the Knicks’ winning streak was ceased at the hands of the Milwaukee Bucks. Obviously, it is difficult to beat a team as talented as the Bucks, however, many players on the Knicks were very disappointing.
New York is at the start of a very difficult stretch of games on the schedule, so there is honestly a good chance we see the team continue to lose. If the Knicks manage to play some good basketball and win a few of their upcoming games, they could prove people wrong and become a top team in the East.
For now, though, this seems quite unlikely, as the Knicks have really struggled against the two “good” teams they have faced.
3 takeaways from the Knicks’ disappointing loss to the Bucks
3: Giannis may be the best player in the world
With the Bucks moving to 4-0, and Giannis Antetokounmpo looking absolutely unstoppable, it may be time to label him as the best in the world. The conversation was already being held in prior seasons, but with his hot start, combined with poor play from other players in contention, it seems as if there could be a notable gap between Antetokounmpo and the rest of the league.
Against New York, Antetokounmpo racked up 30 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists while shooting 11-for-22 from the field and 1-for-6 from three. He was truly dominating the Knicks on both sides of the ball. There was no answer for Antetokounmpo.
It is nearly impossible for any team to guard Antetokounmpo, so it was not really surprising to see the Knicks struggle against him.
Regardless, New York’s defense struggled all game and must be better against more competitive teams. Mitchell Robinson being in foul trouble obviously didn’t help, but even on the perimeter, the defense was really lacking.
It is not very fun to watch the Bucks have seven different players score double digits, especially guys like Grayson Allen and Jevon Carter. However, players like that, especially Allen, are bound to have decent games at some point, so I’m not too upset about it.
Heading into the Knicks’ next game, the defense must be better, as they face a stacked Cavaliers squad with plenty of talent on all areas of the court.
2: The Knicks’ bench played very well yet again
It is known amongst the league that the Knicks have one of the best bench units in the NBA, and unsurprisingly, they showed up yet again against the Bucks.
Not everyone was perfect, but the usual dynamic trio of Derrick Rose, Immanuel Quickley, and Obi Toppin all played well and provided a spark that kept the Knicks competitive in this game despite poor play from the starting lineup.
Something that I personally have noticed in recent games is just how good Toppin’s three-point shooting has looked. Through the first five games of the season, Toppin is shooting 8-for-15 from behind the arc.
Not only is Toppin shooting the three ball more efficiently, but his confidence and shot selection from that range has looked extremely impressive. In this game alone, Toppin hit a beautiful step back three-point shot that I don’t think we have seen out of him in past games.
At this point, there is no reason for coach Thibodeau to not increase his minutes. I’m not saying Toppin should start, but he has only played more than 20 minutes in one game this season.
As for the rest of the bench, Cam Reddish struggled but we all know how inconsistent he can be, and Hartenstein was fine. The Knicks’ bench has performed very well so far to start the season. If this can continue, the bench could lead the team to more wins as the season goes on.
1: The starting five really struggled and must be better
This was easily the worst game we have seen out of the starting five yet, as combined, the lineup shot 19-for-54 and accounted for nine of the team’s twelve turnovers. In addition to this, Robinson’s aforementioned foul troubles really cost this unit defensively.
I was going to say who the most disappointing players were in the starting lineup, however, they all didn’t play very well if we’re being honest.
Julius Randle has looked very solid all season long, but this game looked more like a flash from the past as his decision-making and shot selection were not on point. Hopefully, Randle can bounce back and perform better, as we know the team needs it.
Jalen Brunson and Evan Fournier were both inefficient and really lacking defensively in this game. I expect this level of play out of Fournier, but Brunson must play better despite how unworried I am about him. Brunson is obviously not accustomed to having this much usage, so there may be some ups and downs with him. Regardless, I’m very excited to see what the rest of the season holds for him.
RJ Barrett started off the game very rough, however, he had a bit of a comeback toward the end of the game. Barrett has really struggled throughout the first five games, but just like with Brunson, I am not worried. Barrett usually starts the season off a little slow, but we have seen what he looks like when he catches on.
Overall, this was just a rough game for everyone in the starting lineup. Hopefully as the Knicks enter this rough stretch to the season, they can get into a groove and play better. The team cannot always rely on the bench to come through and carry them to success.
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