NBA 2018-19, Milwaukee Bucks vs New York Knicks: Preview and prediction
Milwaukee Bucks (23-10) vs New York Knicks (9-26), Fiserv Forum
After a Christmas Day game where Milwaukee Bucks beat the New York Knicks, these two teams will face each other once again - this time Bucks being the hosts.
It will be interesting to see if the Knicks can do something different tonight against an in-form Bucks team.
Here's a brief look at how things stand for both teams.
The Milwaukee Bucks' perspective
The Bucks are in great form, with five wins in their last six matches. They have won 23 games this season and stand at the second place in the Eastern Conference.
They beat the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden just a couple of days ago. Giannis Antetokounmpo was quiet in the first half but came back strongly to finish with 30 points and 14 rebounds.
Brook Lopez and Malcolm Brogdon supported him well and finished with 20 and 17 points respectively. Thon Maker deserves a mention too as he scored an important 12 points coming off the bench.
The Bucks are a better team on paper as well as on the court. They will be looking to improve their record further tonight.
The New York Knicks' perspective
The Knicks are struggling to stay above water at the moment, with 26 loses already. They have won just nine games this whole season, and have lost the last five played.
They kept Giannis quiet for the first half on Christmas Day with an effective Zone Defence, forcing him to shoot from outside. However, they could not keep it up for a long a time as Giannis dominated the second half.
Kevin Knox, the second youngest player in the league, was the most active player for the Knicks with 21 points. Enes Kanter and Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 12 and 14 points respectively and could not make a difference in the match.
The Knicks need to implement zone more consistently tonight if they want to keep Giannis from inflicting damage. But even if they can do that, they will still have to deal with players like Eric Bledsoe and Khris Middleton, who are immensely talented.
How things might unfold
The Bucks have plenty of quality in their team, and have a better bench too. The Knicks on the other hand have been on a losing streak, and don't seem to have enough resources to beat the Bucks at their home.
Prediction: Milwaukee Bucks to beat New York Knicks