N.Y. Knicks Upend Defending Champs at Milwaukee

From the desk: KICKIN' CAN DOWN 33rd STREET WIT' JIMMY

FRIDAY

Knicks   113

BUCKS    98

FINAL

After Woeful First Quarter, Coach Thibs Takes Knicks By The Antlers

Okay, the Buck were without Kris Middleton and Brook Lopez.  But that in no way should diminish what the Knicks accomplished Friday at Milwaukee against the NBA's defending champs.  

Without further adieu, I credit this particular victory to Coach Thibodeau.  After consecutive losses against Toronto and Indiana, the Knicks found themselves down 38-19 after the first quarter.  That's when Coach drew a line in the sand and assigned his three most trusted Knicks to protect it.

Despite missing the aforementioned players, Milwaukee still had four players score in double-digits, while the Knick had three.  But Milwaukee's quarter by quarter offensive depletion tells the story.  The Knicks held the Bucks to 25 points in the second quarter, thus cutting their deficit to seven.  Afterwhich, they held Milwaukee to 20 points in the third quarter, then a mere 15 points in the final session.  Even with 38 points in the first quarter, the Knicks still prevented the Bucks from exceeding 100 points for the game.  All the while executing a methodical comeback in handing the defending champs a decisive 113-98 margin of defeat at Milwaukee.

Rebounding was no doubt a key factor.  The Bockers outrebounded the Bucks by a glass breaking 59-37 margin.  Second chance opportunities likewise favored the Knicks, who secured 20 offensive rebounds, whereas the Bucks only grabbed seven.

Although the Knicks were a mere 10/40 from behind the arc, they made up for it with a plus-five from the free-throw line and converted eight more made field goals in 14 more attempts.

Julius Randle led the floor with 22 attempts and a game-high 32 points in 33 minutes and notched a double-double with 12 rebounds.  

RJ Barrett was the only other starter in double-digits.  He finished 8/21 from the field and 2/2 from the line for 20 points; it's his fifth consecutive game of 20 points or more.

Afterwhich, Coach Thibodeau turned to his old reliable, Derrick Rose, who was the only other Knick to receive 30 minutes, and in turn rewarded his coach with 23 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and two steals off the bench.  Nerlens Noel was also a factor off the bench with six points and a game-high 13 rebounds in 24 minutes.

The rest was Coach Thibodeau mixing and matching and substituting bodies like chess pieces while Milwaukee head coach Mike Budenholzer was busy playing checkers.

Put this one in the affirmation column, like the victories against Chicago and Philly.