The Milwaukee Bucks have not had lots of solutions throughout their 2-7 begin. They particularly had no reply for Karl-Anthony Cities Friday night time.
KAT led all scorers with 32 factors and the New York Knicks by no means trailed of their 116-94 win over the floundering Bucks. He is now averaging 24.3 factors and 12.8 rebounds. However he is been so good this season that his rebounding and three-point share truly went down after an 11-rebound, 50-percent taking pictures night time.
It was clear instantly that the Bucks, constantly one of many NBA’s prime defenses earlier than final season, could not cease Cities in any respect. He hit two threes within the recreation’s first two minutes, and when Bucks middle Brook Lopez lastly chased him on the market, Cities drove to the rim and dunked on him.
Cities particularly stood out in a recreation the place each groups mixed to shoot 27.6 p.c from deep. Damian Lillard did not make a single three for the second time this season and scored solely 4 factors within the second half. For the Knicks, starters Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges mixed to go 4-of-24 from behind the arc.
Moreover the presence of Cities, the largest distinction on this recreation was ball motion. Cities’ 5 assists have been greater than anybody on the Bucks moreover Lillard, who had six, and he is taking part in middle. Brunson had 9 dimes, Josh Hart had seven and Anunoby additionally had 5. New York had 35 assists to Milwaukee’s 20, one other symptom of the Bucks’ stagnant offense in 2024-25.
The Knicks had six gamers in double figures, whereas the Bucks had three. A kind of Bucks, rookie Tyler Smith, scored all 10 of his factors within the fourth quarter, getting into the sport together with his staff trailing by 28 factors.
Even with two new starters in Cities and Bridges, the Knicks are beginning to mesh as a staff. For the Bucks, they’re nonetheless understanding methods to get Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo to mesh after a full season collectively.