Looking to exact revenge for their earlier Tournament loss to the Bucks, New York will enter their Quarterfinal matchup at Fiserv Forum.
The Knicks (12-7) are in the East Semifinals of the In-Season Tournament after dominating their three group matches against the Wizards, Heat, and Hornets. The Milwaukee Bucks (14-6), who have won nine of their previous 11 games, are one of the conference’s elite teams and their opponent. In their opening game of the tournament, New York was defeated by the Bucks in a close game, 110-105. They will now try to move forward in the bracket and face the Pacers or Celtics in Las Vegas on December 7. This Friday, the loser advances to face an opponent from the Eastern Conference in a regular-season game.
REMEMBER TO BUCK
After a little rough start to the season, Milwaukee has won all four of their Tournament games so far and appears to be clicking much better. Any talented player (Damian Lillard in this case) added to a championship-caliber team that already has a star like Giannis Antetokounmpo woven into the fabric of the city will undoubtedly experience some growing pains as the team and the new player figure out how to get along, but it appears like these two superstars are playing at their best.
According to ESPN Stats, Lillard has surpassed his career averages in his previous ten games, averaging 27.7 points, 8.7 assists, and 38.8% from beyond the arc. This is starting to resemble the seven-time All-Star we saw in Portland. While Dame’s offensive firepower and sharpshooting are undoubtedly hallmarks, you can also infer that having the Greek Freak and his high field goal % to dish to has contributed significantly to the team’s increased assist totals.
Not too shabby either, Giannis has scored 30 points, pulled down 12 rebounds, and disheveled six assists in his previous 10 games, including eight double-doubles. When you combine Giannis and Dame’s production with the superb veteran supporting group that includes Bobby Portis, Malik Beasley, Khris Middleton, and Brook Lopez, the Bucks are a formidable opponent that the Knicks will likely face throughout the season.
According to Land of Basketball, Milwaukee has defeated the Knicks seven times in a row going back to 2021.
THE KNICKS’ POSSIBLE ADVANCE
The Bucks are among the best in the East, so they will provide a challenging test for the ‘Bockers, but the Knicks are starting to click and have an added incentive to defeat Milwaukee at home during the regular season. The Knicks, who have improved greatly in recent weeks, are a Devin Booker fadeaway three away from having a five-game winning streak.
Following two near triple-doubles and a 25-20 game against Charlotte, Julius Randle, who was vicious against Milwaukee the first time around, looks to carry on with his excellent play. Randle has never been good against Milwaukee’s defense, but if he can continue where he left off on Friday, it will be a big step toward the Knicks’ progress.
It’s all about Randle and Jalen Brunson, in my opinion, as Brunson scored 45 points in the Bucks’ most recent game. With the acquisition of Lillard and the subsequent loss of Jrue Holiday, the one area of the Bucks’ game that has gotten worse is perimeter defense. According to NBA Stats, the Bucks were first in the league in opponents’ three-point percentage the previous season, but they are now in the middle of the pack at 16. In addition to JB, there will be plenty of opportunities for Quentin Grimes and Immanuel Quickley to eat up points without having to take on Giannis and his length in the middle.
This Tuesday, watch for a lot of outside shots from the Knicks.
FOLLOWING THE BAG
The stakes are high as many teams still in the running aim to win the prize money in this first competition, with $500k up for grabs for the In-Season Tournament champion. One criticism leveled at the NBA is that players are abusing their flexibility and power to skip games they think are pointless in order to rest, and that the regular season lacks sufficient urgency.
Thankfully, in order to secure the prize money at the end, players are encouraged to suit up every night by the sense of urgency created by this tournament. Granted, some players who earn hundreds of millions of dollars will be fine without the money, but for many second-round, undrafted, or bench players who don’t have the stars’ salary, $500k can mean the difference between life and death. Teams gain momentum as they move through the bracket when they can unite around that prize as a group.
Despite being a little confusing at first, I believe that overall, the NBA has benefited from this, as they have some excellent matchups coming up as the Tournament draws to a close.