Knicks Takeaways from Monday's 132-88 loss to the Bucks, including a first-quarter dud

Knicks never led as Milwaukee coasts to 44-point win at home

12/3/2019, 3:27 AM
Dec 2, 2019; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) shoots over New York Knicks forward Bobby Portis (1) in the first quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports / Michael McLoone
Dec 2, 2019; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) shoots over New York Knicks forward Bobby Portis (1) in the first quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports / Michael McLoone

The Knicks never led in Monday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks and dropped their seventh straight game, 132-88. >> Box Score

Five things to know from Monday's game

1) Milwaukee jumped out to a 33-15 lead after the first quarter and coasted the rest of the way to a victory. Khris Middleton's three-pointer on the first position of the game set the tone, and the Knicks were never closer on the scoreboard than they were at the opening tip-off.

 

2) Giannis Antetokoumpo was no match for the Knicks on either end of the floor. He had a double-double by halftime and finished the game with 29 points and 15 rebounds in just 22 minutes on the court. The Greece native went to the bench with five minutes remaning in the third quarter and, with the game well in hand, did not return. 

3) With Frank Ntilikina out with back spasms and Elfrid Payton still sidelined with a hamstring injury, Dennis Smith Jr. earned his first start of the season at point guard. He, like most of the Knicks, struggled to find his shooting rhythm and finished with just four points on 1-for-7 shooting, adding a team-high three assists. Kadeem Allen also got into the game for his first NBA minutes of the season after playing six games with Westchester in the G-League this season. 

4) Allonzo Trier had played just once since Nov. 14, earning some late garbage-time minutes against the Raptors on Nov. 27. But he got into the game early on Monday, playing 12 minutes in the first half, scoring 10 points. He didn't play in the second half, however.

5) Milwaukee lit it up from three-point range Monday, shooting 16-for-35 (45.7 percent) from long range. The Knicks, meanwhile, shot just 10-for-39 (25.6 percent) from downtown.

Highlights

What's next

The Knicks are back in action on Thursday when they return to Madison Square Garden to host the Nuggets at 7:30 p.m.

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