Game Thread: New York Knicks vs Milwaukee Bucks 7:30pm 1/10/2016

The New York Knicks feel a narrow defeat against a team that has been unstoppable at home won't take away from their recent turnaround.

New York, though, isn't likely to have it easy with the Milwaukee Bucks coming to town.

As they look to bounce back with their fifth win in seven games, the Knicks will try to contain Khris Middleton and avoid a third straight loss in this season series on Sunday night.

Since averaging 93 points while allowing 103.8 during its third four-game losing streak of the season, New York has scored 100.7 and given up 98.7 during a promising 4-2 stretch.

The Knicks rallied from a 12-point deficit Friday to put themselves in position to end San Antonio's 30-game regular-season home winning streak. Carmelo Anthony attracted a couple of defenders before finding Jose Calderon for a 3-pointer that missed as time expired in a 100-99 loss.

Kristaps Porzingis finished with 28 points and 11 rebounds, and Anthony contributed 20 and 12 despite shooting 5 for 15 while being hounded by Kawhi Leonard.

"I'll take a loss like this any day," Anthony said. "We have been playing good basketball as of late. I don't want to let this loss linger into Sunday against Milwaukee at home. (We'll) put this one behind us and build off this."

Although the Spurs seemed to be bothered by New York's frontcourt length, the tall, athletic Bucks (15-23) certainly won't. They've been a difficult matchup for the Knicks (18-20), winning two of the three meetings this season after taking all four in 2014-15.

Giannis Antetokounmpo did not play in a season-opening 122-97 home loss, but had 20 points and seven rebounds in a 99-92 road win Nov. 6 and 17, six boards and six assists in a 106-91 home win Dec. 5.

Middleton has averaged just 10.3 points on 9 for 34 (26.5 percent) shooting against the Knicks. However, he's one of the league's hottest players heading into this meeting with 25.7 points per game while making 18 for 35 (51. 4 percent) over his last six.

The fourth-year guard finished with 27 points Friday and hit a layup with less than 10 seconds left to help the Bucks snap a two-game slide with a 96-95 home win over Dallas.

"We have to take this win and build on it and try to validate it in New York," he said.

Michael Carter-Williams filled the stat sheet with 15 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists and five steals. The point guard has averaged 19.7 points in three meetings against the Knicks since arriving in Milwaukee.

The Bucks limited the Mavericks to 41.7 percent shooting after they had given up an average of 112.3 points on 49.5 percent while dropping five of their previous seven. They've held New York to 92.8 points and a 42.9 percentage in the past six matchups.

"We have the length and size and athleticism to defend any team in this league," Middleton said. "Once we do that we're going to give ourselves a great chance to win."

Jerryd Bayless might be out after missing 12 of the previous 17 games with a left ankle sprain. Miles Plumlee's status is also uncertain after he sat out Friday with a sore left knee.

The Knicks have won seven of their last nine games at Madison Square Garden, but have dropped their past three there against the Bucks.
(nba.com)

Knicks start slow... MIL shot well early... 4 turnovers and some blown assignments on defense... But, they played fairly well in spurts. 24-24 after 1st.

Sunday's seem to be a bad day for a game thread esp when the NFL playoffs are on.

Just tuning in 24-24 end of 1st. Bucks have a ton of injuries that the Knicks should exploit.

LT 4-5 from the field. Breen saying his good play is being noticed around the league, he's going to get paid next year. Hope its by us.

90% FT shooter!! What isn't he doing this year.

Good D by the boys making the Bucks jump shooters. Not many points in the paint by them.

We look good tonight. Real good. Defense is clicking. Passing is clicking. Fisher is finding the right combinations of players, in particular, Derrick Williams running with Calderon, Melo, Porzingis, and Afflalo. We keep this up, we should bury this underachieving Milwaukee crew.

Gents... Melo playing unselfishly... And scoring efficiently... Playing D and rebounding!!!

Knicks ending half in a run playing some beautiful BBall. Anthony playing some of the best ball of his career.

Calderon won a jump ball!!! KP with some blocks and DW with mister dunks.

Melo with 12 points on over 50% shooting from the field to go with 6 boards and 4 assists in the first half. This is becoming a trend for him. This is league MVP-type play he has done in small samples over the last couple weeks.

Did he jus say .. thas Galloway first turnover in the past 5 games .. now thas great consistency ctfu

I was thinking the same thing that Clyde said about Melo taking that 12ft shot he passed up that he should have shot it. He was wide open but it turned into a dunk by DWill, the guy's game has changed from attacking to the rim instead of taking jump shots to looking to pass first and his committment to D. Have to love this new Melo.

27-17 NYK second quarter... 51-41 at the half. This would be a HUGE win bc it would confirm what we just saw the last 11 games AND it puts us at 2-2 against MIL (you never know about tiebreakers). Really need to go 5-1 these 6 games and send this team on a nice trajectory towards trade deadline...

Greek freak with his 1st fg in the 3rd, unreal.

Yet another sweet putback dunk from Porzingis. Has any NBA player ever made putback dunks on a regular basis like this ever?

KP put back off a Rolo miss and then blocks a shot on the other end turning into a Melo jumper. Unreal play at both ends, crowd going crazy.

I've been talking about having balance with always having Rolo or KP on the floor, with this new rotation we're getting that.

Lance JAMMIN !!!!

KP actually jumped to try to block that shot and with his arms outstretched was an awesome sight. Looked like the Empire State building out there.

Things are starting to click for this team. Our rotations work now. We are entering the 4th with a 22 point lead and we made it look easy. For the first time this season, I'm starting to get excited about what we can do this year, rather than what we can do next year.

Melo keep playing like this we will be a 4th or 5th seed playoff team ..
KPZingis Defense shut the Bucks down in the 2nd n 3rd qtr.