The Bucks will be looking for their third consecutive victory Friday night when they face off against the New York Knicks the second time this season, this time at Madison Square Garden.
New York was in Milwaukee for the Home Opener on the 28th of October, and things did not go the Bucks’ way. The Knicks toppled them in grand fashion by a score of 122-97. However, the Bucks were without two of their most important players, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker, both of whom will be in tonight’s starting lineup.
The home opener against the Knicks was a colossal blow up for the Bucks. Their interior defense failed to show up, as the Knicks exposed many of their weaknesses by out hustling for loose balls and picking up offensive rebounds for second-chance points.
Derrick Williams was stellar in his first game against the Bucks. He led all scorers as he came off the bench and produced 24 points. He dominated the Bucks in all assets of the game.
The Knicks have played two games at Madison Square Garden so far this season and have lost both of them. They fell to Cleveland 96-86 at home on Wednesday. New York is currently sitting at 2-3.
Jabari Parker made his comeback debut Wednesday night against the 76ers. He will most likely receive the start tonight again but will remain on a short leash regarding his minutes. Jason Kidd said he believes Parker’s minutes will grow this weekend in a back-to-back set, saying that the team will see how Parker’s body responds.
The injury bug continues to hurt the Bucks, as both Michael Carter-Williams and O.J. Mayo remain sidelined. Tyler Ennis, who made his season debut Wednesday, will receive the start at point guard tonight. Milwaukee will also get John Henson back, as he has been sidelined since injuring his Achilles in the Home Opener against New York.
photo: bucks.com
Giannis has shouldered a heavy workload early on this season, but he is making the most of it. The Greek Freak has impressed many across the league so far this year, as it is becoming evident that the hard work he put in during the offseason is making a difference. Antetokounmpo is currently averaging 21.3 points on fewer than 14 shots per game and is shooting 59.3 percent.
One thing the Bucks will need to shore up on from their last meeting with the Knicks is allowing second-chance opportunities. The Knicks had them beat in that category in the first game of the year and it showed up in the box score, as New York had 50 points in the paint compared to the Bucks’ 38. Their second chances at the basket also resulted in their extremely high shooting percentage from the game, which saw them go 42-93, resulting in a 45.2 percentage.
It will be interesting to see how the Knicks can adapt to the Bucks now that they have both Giannis and Jabari out on the floor. Also, we will all be getting tickets to see the Giannis-Carmelo one-on-one show. We all know how entertaining those can be.
Milwaukee Bucks (2-3, 1-1 Away) vs New York Knicks (2-3, 0-2 Home)
November 6, 2015
Madison Square Garden | New York, NY
7:00 PM CT
Fox Sports Wisconsin | AM 620 WTMJ
Probable Starters
Milwaukee Bucks New York Knicks
Tyler Ennis PG Jose Calderon
Khris Middleton SG Sasha Vujacic
Giannis Antetokounmpo SF Carmelo Anthony
Jabari Parker PF Kristaps Porzingis
Greg Monroe C Robin Lopez