Game Preview: New York Knicks vs. Milwaukee Bucks, November 8, 2024

The first few weeks of the NBA season have been unpredictable and surprising for Eastern Conference teams. The Cavaliers, not the Celtics, are in first place with an unblemished 9-0 record. The Pacers and Nets are currently in third and fourth place with a record of 4-4, the Sixers are last in the conference at 1-6, and the two teams playing tonight, the Knicks and Bucks, are having disappointing seasons Season starts. 3-4 and 2-6 respectively.

New York struggled to maintain any consistency on offense, with Jalen Brunson looking as ineffective as he has since his career as a Knick. Mikal Bridges, for whom the Knicks gave up a treasure trove of first-round picks, was inconsistent on both ends of the floor. Josh Hart has had some head-scratching moments, and he's shooting under 30% from three. Deuce McBride lost 9-0 two games ago. Outside of McBride, the bench was virtually non-existent. Tom Thibodeau has been heavily criticized for his rotations, minute distribution and offensive schemes.

Milwaukee, on the other hand, is getting excellent performances from its stars. Giannis Antetokounmpo is averaging 31 PPG, 12.9 RPG and 5.7 APG, while Damian Lillard is averaging 28.4 PPG and 6.8 APG. However, neither has learned how to maximize the other's strengths yet, and Antetokounmpo doesn't seem willing to put much effort into finding Lillard. The rest of the team only had one player averaging more than 10 PPG, the defense was subpar, and there were endless jokes about the incompetence of head coach Doc Rivers and assistant coach Darvin Ham. Needless to say, both teams are in a spot they'd rather not be in and would greatly benefit from a win tonight.

Planned starters

The point guard battle between Damian Lillard and Brunson should be an entertaining experience. After a poor year by his standards last season, Lillard is off to a strong start. If the Knicks want to slow him down, they need to focus on limiting his three-point shots; So far, he has made ten three-pointers per game and shot 38.8% from distance. Both numbers are above the 8.5 attempts per game and 35.4% three-point percentage he made last season.

Gary Trent Jr. will start alongside Lillard. In the past he was known as an accurate shooter, but he is currently struggling with a disastrous strike rate of 29.5% from the field and 23.1% from three balls. New York can't allow him to find his rhythm because that would only make an already mediocre offense even harder to control.

At small forward, the offseason acquisition of Taurean Prince begins. The veteran forward is averaging just 7.9 PPG but has been extremely efficient with his limited shooting, shooting 55.8% from the field and 55.6% from three. However, the latter number is obviously unsustainable, so the Knicks could potentially benefit from a negative regression tonight.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, the latest star to be treated as a “potential trade request” by the media, is having another incredible season. The former MVP was so good for so long that he was almost underrated and underrated. Fans and analysts often gloss over his statistics, which has led to his play being taken for granted. Given his good performances and Karl-Anthony Towns' outstanding performances with the Knicks, this could be an exciting back-and-forth duel.

Last but not least is Brook Lopez, brother of former Knick Robin Lopez and former city rival. The 36-year-old center has taken some steps backwards defensively in recent years, but his offense has been the real disappointment this season. Through the first eight games, Lopez averaged just 9.6 PPG on 38.4% shooting from the field and just 26.8% from three on 5.1 attempts per game. Given the Knicks' previous struggles against stretch centers, it is imperative that they do not let Lopez regress to his previous form.

Injury report

Milwaukee: Khris Middleton (ankle) is out, Giannis Antetokounmpo (hamstring) likely, Gary Trent Jr. (back) questionable

New York: Cameron Payne (hamstring injury) questionable; Mitchell Robinson (foot) is out, Precious Achiuwa (thigh) is out, Kevin McCullar Jr. (knee) is out

forecast

The eye test and results haven't always been great so far, but the Knicks still rank fourth in the league in offensive rating, which has resulted in a subpar defense. This has led to them maintaining a top-10 net rating this season. Some of this is spurred by big wins against the Pacers and Pistons, but it still shows that they had some shining moments and did some things well. Statistically and record-wise, New York should have the advantage tonight. They have a much better offense and are more balanced on the field. Defensively, they face a Bucks team that has just as big problems as the Knicks. However, something similar could have been – and was – said in the last two games, both of which New York ultimately lost in disappointing fashion.

Milwaukee has had a rough start to the season, but they pulled out a win last night and the combination of Antetokounmpo and Lillard is still among the best in the league and capable of beating anyone on any given night.

Other than that, the game will come down to one player and one player only: Jalen Brunson. Based on what we've seen this season, it's likely that the Bucks' two stars will have strong games while their supporting cast and defense struggle. On the Knicks side, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges are expected to combine for around 30 points, with the former playing on elite defense and the latter showing inconsistent but mostly good defensive play. Hart will make a few mistakes, but he will do his part. And Towns, who has been the Knicks' best player to date, will be a force on the boards while providing efficient scoring.

But Brunson was in big trouble. During the Knicks' victories, he is calm and makes good decisions for himself and his teammates. When he loses, he appears unbalanced, forces too many plays, plays selfishly, and struggles to find his shot. If New York wants to get a much-needed win to get back to .500, it will depend on him. And whether I'm just trying to bring it into existence or not, I believe he will succeed. The Knicks win a close shootout 120-115.

Game details

WHO: New York Knicks vs. Milwaukee Bucks

When: Friday, November 8, 7:30 p.m. ET

Where: Madison Square Garden, New York

Regard: MSG network

Consequences: @ptknicksblog