Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Milwaukee Bucks to a 130-111 win over the New York Knicks with 28 points, contributing to their seventh consecutive victory. The game marked the start of a two-match series, setting the stage for a rematch on national TV as part of the NBA’s Christmas lineup.
The Bucks, with Bobby Portis adding 23 points and 11 rebounds, continued their dominance over the Knicks, extending their winning streak against them to nine games. New York, struggling to keep up, face a challenge in this one-sided rivalry, especially after a significant defeat earlier in December during the In-Season Tournament.
Despite efforts to adapt, New York found themselves trailing throughout the game. With a strong start, the Bucks solidified their lead with an 11-0 run in the fourth quarter, highlighted by Portis’ 3-pointer. Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau acknowledged the challenge of facing Milwaukee’s versatile offense, admitting his team was often a step behind. “They’ve got a lot of weapons, so you’ve got to fly around, and there’s times where we did it and times where we didn’t do it as well as we should have,” Thibodeau said. “But every aspect of the game we were a step behind.”
The Bucks narrowly missed the mark of having five players scoring 20 points. Alongside Antetokounmpo and Portis, Khris Middleton scored 20 points, while Damian Lillard and Malik Beasley contributed significantly, with Lillard nearing a triple-double and Beasley hitting five 3-pointers.
Jalen Brunson stood out with 36 points for the Knicks, continuing his strong performance against the Bucks. Julius Randle also added 26 points in a losing effort as the Knicks saw their two-game winning streak end.
The teams, meeting four times after their Christmas game due to the additional In-Season Tournament matchup, have seen the Bucks maintain their impressive form. Milwaukee shot effectively from the 3-point range, establishing a lead in the first quarter and maintaining control throughout the game. The Knicks showed a brief resurgence before halftime but couldn’t overcome Milwaukee’s dominance.
