After a four-game road trip, the New York Knicks return home on Friday looking to snap a two-game losing streak as they face the Milwaukee Bucks, who are playing the second leg of a back-to-back set.
The Bucks ended their six-game losing streak on Thursday with a decisive 123-100 victory over the visiting Utah Jazz. Damian Lillard scored 34 points, building on his impressive 77-point combined effort in back-to-back losses to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday and Monday. Lillard has scored at least 33 points in four of his last five games and at least 30 points in five of the Bucks’ eight games this season.
Giannis Antetokounmpo also delivered a strong performance on Thursday, with 31 points and 16 rebounds. Antetokounmpo had missed Monday’s game in Cleveland due to an adductor injury and was cleared to play only a few hours before Thursday’s game.
The Knicks started their road trip with wins against the Miami Heat and Detroit Pistons but faltered with a 109-97 loss to the Houston Rockets on Monday and a 121-116 defeat to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday. Karl-Anthony Towns scored 34 points against the Hawks. The All-Star forward, acquired in an offseason trade that sent Julius Randle to the Minnesota Timberwolves, previously scored 44 points in the Knicks’ win over the Heat on October 30.
Towns’ effort on Wednesday wasn’t enough to overcome the Atlanta trio of Trae Young, Jalen Johnson, and Zaccharie Risacher, who combined for 79 points. Risacher, the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft in June, recorded a career-high 33 points.
The Knicks have allowed an average of 118 points per game in their four losses this season, compared to just 101 points per game in their three wins. Despite his scoring performance, Towns acknowledged the Knicks’ struggles in key areas such as rebounding and interior defense.
New York has been giving up 51.4 points in the paint per game this season, including 58 to Atlanta, while missing a key interior player. Precious Achiuwa has yet to play this season due to a hamstring injury. The 25-year-old, who was acquired from the Toronto Raptors during the 2023-24 season, averaged 7.2 rebounds and 1.1 blocked shots per game in 49 appearances with the Knicks last season.
