MILWAUKEE
In a game that highlighted contrasting performances, Giannis Antetokounmpo shined like a star while Karl-Anthony Towns struggled to find his footing. The Knicks faced a setback, losing 121-111 at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, largely due to Towns’ disappointing start to the season. He managed just eight points, shooting 2-for-12 over 35 minutes, a performance that significantly contributed to the defeat.
Antetokounmpo, a likely trade target if the Bucks decide to shake things up, scored an impressive 35 points on an efficient 16-of-22 shooting. The disparity between the two players was striking.
If the Knicks are looking to send KAT back to the Bucks in a trade for the Greek superstar, they might want to pray Tuesday’s game footage isn’t on the table. Towns struggled, racking up three turnovers and only one assist, appearing disconnected from coach Mike Brown’s revamped offensive strategy.
Even with Towns’ lackluster performance, the Knicks, now 2-2, managed to keep the game close. However, their offense stalled midway through the fourth quarter. A moment of concern hit when Jalen Brunson seemed to injure his groin and fell to the ground in pain, potentially jeopardizing the Knicks’ early season ambitions.
Fortunately for the Knicks, Brunson returned after a timeout, but they stumbled through the final minutes of play with a ten-point deficit. Brunson topped the scoring for the Knicks with 36 points, supported by Mikal Bridges with 24, since Towns was in a slump.
Just two nights prior, the Knicks had faced their first loss of the season during a game in Miami, which appeared to carry over into this matchup—they shot just 1-for-10 at the beginning.
However, they turned things around momentarily in the second quarter, hitting 8 of 10 shots within 12 minutes and heading into halftime with a solid 12-point lead.
Brown expressed curiosity about the team’s ability to recover from the recent loss. “We’re on the road, we’re missing a few guys, but it’s good to see how we respond,” he noted. “We’ve got determination, but real adversity will show up if we face three or four losses in a row. How will we come together then?”
At times, the Knicks showed resilience, but their third-quarter performance was, frankly, disappointing, and Towns was the main reason for that. He managed only two points and shot 1-for-9, contributing to two turnovers and three fouls, making for a rough quarter.
In this game, the Knicks were also without Miles McBride due to personal matters, and Gershon Yabusele was sidelined with a knee sprain sustained in Miami. Brown mixed up the lineup, bringing in Landry Shamet, who added 16 points over 40 minutes. Bucks coach Doc Rivers targeted the Knicks’ three-point game, aware of their strategy to speed things up on offense.
“They’re trying to shoot more threes, so we focused on limiting that,” Rivers said, indicating a shift in their approach compared to last season, where they struggled against the Knicks.
Rivers pointed out that the Bucks, younger and more agile since the trades of Damian Lillard and Brook Lopez, may have an edge. “We’re more athletic and can defend better,” he added.
With Antetokounmpo leading the way, a top player in the conference who averaged 36 points entering the game, Brown acknowledged the challenge, stating, “He’s a force. It takes a team to contain him. His length, intelligence, and strength demand attention. You can’t just guard him with one player.”
