Game Thread: Milwaukee Bucks @ NY Knicks Friday Nov. 6 7:30 PM

The Milwaukee Bucks come into MSG looking to even their record against NY after suffering an opening day loss to the Knicks in a blowout 122-97. It won't be as easy this game as the last game for the boys to come away with a win, Giannis is back from his suspension that kept him out opening day and Jabari Parker another cornerstone for this Bucks franchise will be playing his second game of the season returning from knee surgery.

Melo was a non-factor that game shooting 25% and it maybe even tougher for him to score with an excellent defender in Antetokounmpo covering him. Knicks fans can hope like the first game the Knicks balanced scoring can make up for a poor shooting night from Melo.

Jabari Parker only played 16 minutes in his last game and looked rusty in scoring 1 basket so I don't think he'll be a factor in this game, he'll likely play limited minutes and will still be trying to find his legs on Friday. I think this is a terrific matchup for Zinger with a recovering Parker and perhaps no John Henson to play at the 4, Coach Fisher should feed the ball to Zinger and take advantage of the matchups. Kidd may counter by playing Antetokounmpo some at the 4 for his size and defensive ability.

Rolo also needs to start earning his money as the defensive stopper PJ brought him to NY for, Monroe had a double/double (22/14) last time so Lopez fell well short of backing up his "I look forward to the challenge of stopping one of the best post players in the NBA" statement last game. Someone should show Rolo the tape of the 4/15 game with the Pistons where Cole Aldrich held Monroe to 10pts and 2rbs that game.

Knicks fans are hungry for a win at MSG and this may be the best chance for the boys to get their first one at home after losing to two very good teams in the Hawks and the Spurs at MSG, the Bucks can be had. LETS GO KNICKS.

Bucks-Knicks Preview

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/bucks-knicks-preview-031411712--nba.html

Although Carmelo Anthony is in his 13th season and Jabari Parker is in his second, they are both going through uncharted territory in terms of returning from a serious injury.

These forwards are seeking improvement Friday night when Anthony and the New York Knicks try to post their first home win as they face Parker's Milwaukee Bucks.

Anthony is shooting 36.5 percent after his previous career low was 42.6 as a rookie. He missed the final 30 games last season with a knee injury that required surgery.

"Honestly I didn't know what to expect," said Anthony, who has made 10 of 35 shots in consecutive losses. "I'm just kind of experiencing it, a first-time experience, just going through it and dealing with it day by day."

Parker is also going through a comeback after being limited to 25 games as a rookie due to a torn ACL. He made his season debut Wednesday and made 1 of 6 shots for his only two points in 16 minutes in a 91-87 win over Philadelphia.

"They did a good job of taking me out, putting me back in at certain times of the game so I feel I can build off this," said Parker, last year's No. 2 overall pick.

Bucks coach Jason Kidd said he plans to increase Parker's minutes this weekend in a back-to-back set.

"Now we'll see how he feels and hopefully we can continue to add minutes," Kidd said.

Milwaukee (2-3) will be out to avenge a 122-97 home defeat to New York (2-3) in the season opener last Thursday. Derrick Williams scored 24 to lead seven Knicks in double digits in points, with Langston Galloway and rookie Kristaps Porzingis each chipping in 16.

This matchup will look different and not just because Parker will be on the court. The Bucks played without the suspended Giannis Antetokounmpo while Tyler Ennis was out after shoulder surgery.

Antetokounmpo is averaging a team-high 21.3 points in four games since returning and Ennis made his season debut Wednesday.

The Bucks are hoping Michael Carter-Williams can return from a one-game absence due to a sore left ankle. Their rotation has been in flux due to absences, with Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton shouldering a major load.

"Khris and Giannis have logged heavy minutes early on so hopefully we get healthy over the weekend so that we can get guys out on the floor and kind of get into a routine," Kidd said.

Milwaukee's John Henson has been out since injuring his Achilles in the opener.

Arron Afflalo may make his Knicks debut. The guard, a former Denver teammate with Anthony who signed as a free agent from Portland, has been out with a strained hamstring.

The Knicks are 0-2 at home for their worst such start since beginning 0-3 in 2006-07. They fell 96-86 at Cleveland on Wednesday, with Anthony recording 17 points and 12 boards.

"Right now, it feels like we're kind of playing kind of three-fourths of the game and then we just have lapses here and there that give the opposing teams some confidence," Anthony said.

Milwaukee has captured two straight since an 0-3 start. The Bucks, who have the NBA's best assist-to-field goal ratio at 0.68, took both meetings at Madison Square Garden last season after losing five straight there.

Overview after 4 games is PAINFULL

Until Fisher is fired or figures out how to match us up with other teams we are going to have beaucoup problems. 1. Lopez is a major disappointment as his flat brick hook shots bring nothing to the offense. I would start and give 30 min. to O'Quinn.

2. Derrick Wiliams (30 min) needs time with both units as Melo is doing his ISO crap again. His 4/17 won't cut it. We need a second scoring option. That's D Will. 3. Grant is far better already than Calderone, case closed. Calderone should not be in the league any more.
4. We need Afflolo back period.
5. Leave the new guys out on the floor if they are doing the job

I have slide all the way back to my last years looser's mentality after watching the collapse in the Cleveland game plus having to listen to Fishers PSYCHCO BABBLE "the team is finding out who they are" crap, and the PROCESS. F*ck off. Get me a Van Gundy or Mark Jackson pleeeeese. Seat Melo, oh I forgot he tells Fisher who to play. Loves KP cause he passes up shots to pass to Melo.

Dudley was right MELO IS THE MOST OVER RATED SUPER STAR IN THE LEAGUE.

There I said it. I can cancel my KNICKS "put a bag on my head club meeting."

The Yahoo preview says Affalo may play tonight but Alan Hahn thinks he'll be back Sunday.

Almost game time .. Looking forward to having a .500 record again :gony:

We have so many question marks about so many guys on our roster this early in the season, I feel like it isn't worth stressing out over the specifics just yet. Lopez, Calderon, and Melo are likely to be a source of angst for most of us on a nightly basis, but only because expectations remain high given their contracts. On the flip side, I'm getting much more enjoyment out of the mixed results from guys like Derrick Williams, Porzingis, and Grant given how little I expected this early in the season.

Someday I'm going to tune in and Calderon won't be playing.

Calderon and Melo start ice cold again. Second unit come to the rescue please.

Really nice play with Grant and #kporzee as soon as Grant entered the game. Quite frankly Porzingis had been the best player amongst starters thus far. The Bucks may blow this wide open though

Of course Fisher takes him out, and ruins any potential chemistry they may have been able to build on. Derrick Williams found a little grove though.

You knew MIL would bring their A-game tonight, after we blew them out opening night... I didn't expect a wire-to-wire victory. Credit NYK for making a run to get this deficit down to something manageable by halftime. This would be a nice win, help with tiebreakers, and you would hope they would want to avenge getting owned by the Bucks last season. Come on!

4 NYK guards combine for a grand total of 3 points, so far with about 2 minutes left before the half. Geez. 0-10 from the field.

you would think... Making twenty million a year... Melo would perfect his craft and learn how to dribble the ball.

They are making it a game and Lopez is trying his ass off, still can't rebound worth a crap though. He's not an explosive leaper and he doesn't seem to have a knack for being where the ball lands either

We weathered the storm and got right back into this game by halftime. You have to appreciate having someone like Vujacic on this team who never stops trying to keep everyone pumped up. Porzingis continues to have chunks of time where he looks like someone who can dominate a game on both ends of the court. He is just so friggin raw though.

Affalo might be back Sunday per Alan Hahn. Not sure what he can bring his first game back, but the backcourt scoring could sure use him. Can't win any games with the starting backcourt not scoring anything.

Are these Porzingis putback dunks for real?

htr10 said:

Are these Porzingis putback dunks for real?

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I'd rather he score on those high percentage putbacks than on 3s. He's not that good a long range shooter, better he stays close to the basket for his shots.

Can't get over the hump. We haven't led in the game at any time, we need some stops instead of trading buckets.

Melo came in about the 6:30 mark and missed a 15 footer, got blocked on a layup, missed another one and made a terrible pass to Zinger not what you want from your super star for sure. Chris Herring of the WSJ was tweeting this was Melo's best game by far for because he wasn't forcing anything and had 6 assists, wonder if he changes his mind now. Melo was invisible in crunch time.

Melo just turned the ball over by stepping out of bounds. Moot because the Bucks have a 9 pt lead with about a minute left.

tiger0330 said:

Can't get over the hump. We haven't led in the game at any time, we need some stops instead of trading buckets.

Click to expand...

A wire to wire loss at home to MIL is certainly deflating. Carmelo was downright embarrassing in the 4th quarter. It was 81-81.., and I believe NY down by 7 when Melo entered... And Anthony had three times as many turnovers as FGs. Pathetic is all one can say. Did Melo score in the second half?