Knicks bounce back in dominant fashion, crush Bucks 140-106

The New York Knicks returned to form in a commanding home victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, 140-106, snapping a rough stretch of four losses in five games.

After a tough loss to the Thunder and setbacks against the Magic, Bulls, and another home loss to OKC, the Knicks looked rejuvenated, led by a scorching performance from Jalen Brunson, who poured in 44 points. Karl-Anthony Towns was a dominant force with 30 points and 18 rebounds, while Cameron Payne delivered a spark off the bench with 18 points, 13 of which came during a pivotal second-quarter surge.

Brunson gave fans a scare early in the second half after a block by Brook Lopez. Holding his right shoulder, he left for the locker room, but in true leader fashion, he returned six minutes later to MVP chants and picked up right where he left off.

The Knicks had a slim 43-42 edge early in the second quarter before erupting for a 28-13 run, spearheaded by Payne and Towns. Payne sank three triples during that stretch, while Towns added nine points of his own. By halftime, the Knicks had built a comfortable lead and never allowed the Bucks to claw back into contention. The fourth quarter was the final nail in the coffin, with the Knicks outscoring the Bucks 32-17.

“Obviously, playing behind JB, sometimes he doesn’t get those opportunities. But we know what he’s capable of, and that’s just gonna continue to fuel his confidence and our confidence in him.”

– Josh Hart on Cameron Payne

Josh Hart contributed a steady double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds, and OG Anunoby chipped in 11 points. Even Matt Ryan got in on the action, scoring eight points, including two threes, in just three minutes of garbage time.

The Knicks were red-hot from the field, shooting 58%, including 18-of-41 from beyond the arc, while holding the Bucks to 45.7% shooting. They also dominated the glass, outrebounding Milwaukee 49-39.

For the Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 24 points and 13 rebounds, while Damian Lillard added 22 points. Khris Middleton provided 16 points off the bench, but Milwaukee struggled to keep pace after the Knicks’ explosive second quarter.

Up-next: The Knicks (26-14) will host the Pistons (20-19) tonight from 7:30pm