Reward or penalty? That’s the question New York Knicks fans are asking as the NBA In-Season Tournament has moved into the Knockout Round, with a trip to Las Vegas on the line.
The Knicks finished second in East B during Group Play and won the tiebreakers against the other second-place teams to move on. What they get is another game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
That means the Knicks, who have lost six straight games to the Bucks, will face them five times this season, instead of the normal four. So is that a good thing?
Well, it could be. The Knicks are off to a good start and certainly in the mix for a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs. A win, or a few wins, against the Bucks would go a long way toward that goal.
It just hasn’t gone well of late. Or, since December 2021.
| Date | Game | Result |
| Dec. 12, 2021 | Milwaukee at New York | Bucks 112, Knicks 97 |
| Jan. 28, 2022 | New York at Milwaukee | Bucks 123, Knicks 108 |
| Oct. 28, 2022 | New York at Milwaukee | Bucks 119, Knicks 108 |
| Nov. 30, 2022 | Milwaukee at New York | Bucks 109, Knicks 103 |
| Jan. 9, 2023 | Milwaukee at New York | Bucks 111, Knicks 107 |
| Nov. 3, 2023 | New York at Milwaukee | Bucks 110, Knicks 105 |
How the Knicks vs. Bucks match up
New York at Milwaukee, 7:30 p.m. ET (TNT)
What New York has going for it coming into this game is momentum. The Knicks have won three games in a row and five of their last seven.
Jalen Brunson has been stellar in that run, averaging 27 points, shooting 55% from the floor and 46% from three-point range.
Then again, Milwaukee has won 9-of-11 and the tandem of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard is starting to come together.
Antetokounmpo is fifth in the league in scoring at 29.9 points per game and Lillard is averaging 25.5 points and 6.9 assists.
Knicks vs. Bucks analysis and predictions
- The Knicks have 11 wins against the spread this season and have covered the spread once when more than a five-point underdog. Milwaukee is -5.5 in this game.
- New York is 6-0 in games in which it scores more than 118 points. Milwaukee gives up 118.1 points per game.
- The Knicks are second in the NBA in scoring defense, giving up 105.5 points per game. The Bucks average 121.1 points per game and are 14-5 when they score more than 105.
Everything points to the Bucks winning this game, but with a trip to Las Vegas on the line and a chance to grab some payback for a long losing streak, we’re picking the Knicks to win 119-116.