Identity-Less Knicks Lose in 4th Quarter. Milwaukee 121 NY 111

October 29, 2025 LouV 2025-26 0

The Knicks look like just another NBA team after playing their 4th game of the year, losing to the Bucks in Milwaukee 121-111 on a Tuesday night.

The team that used to hang its hat on DEFENSE and played with a fiery teamwork didn’t show any of that as Milwaukee took over the game in the 4th quarter en route to the easy win.

The Identity that the Knicks forged under Tom Thibodeau the last 5 years — seems gone.

NY had a 71-59 halftime lead after outscoring the Bucks 45-32 in the 2nd quarter, but the Bucks did the same back to NY in the 3rd — outscoring them 35-20 to take a 94-91 lead. NY gained back the lead at 103-101 with 7:15 left, but down the stretch the Knicks Defense could not stop Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks — the Greek Freak rolling up 37 points to lead Milwaukee to the win.

NY’s up-tempo offense — which is drive-and-spray-for-3-after-3 — does not appear to be doing Karl-Anthony Towns any favors, as he is just another guy who can hoist up a 3, vs utilizing his inside-outside skills as the best offensive center in the game. Towns seemed out of sorts all night and scored only 8 pts on 2-12 shooting (0-3 from 3) although he had 12 rebounds.

Jalen Brunson led NY with 36 pts on 14-25 shooting.

“We have to try to figure out how we can play within our staples on both ends of the floor for 48 minutes,” said Knick coach Mike Brown afterwards. “If we do, we have a chance to be a real good team. If we don’t, we can get beat by anybody.”

NY is now 2-2 — having lost 2 consecutive road games. Last year, the Knicks were 3-0 vs Milwaukee.

  • NY blew out Milwaukee in November at MSG, 116-94
  • NY blew out Milwaukee in January in Milwaukee, 140-106
  • NY beat Milwaukee in March without Brunson, 116-107.

1. First Game on NBC in 24 Years

The game was the 1st NBA game broadcast on NBC in 24 years. It was available in NYC on good old fashioned Channel 4 (or 504). Jamaal Crawford was doing the analysis — and was great as usual. The play-by-play announcer sounded like Alan Hahn — but was actually Mike Tirico.

The Knicks started out with their up-tempo, attack and spray and shoot the 3 offense — and took an early 18-10 lead.

But Milwaukee came right back — The Greek Freak with a drive and Gary Trent Jr. with a 3 and a 2-and-1 — for an 18-18 tie. Milwaukee ended the quarter up 27-26.

2. Greek Freak Playing Under Different Rules — Allowed to WALK

The drive by Giannis Antetokounmpo to make it 18-12 NY was an amazing one in that he took 6 (six) steps and was not called for a travel. It is as if the NBA refs allow him to play under a different set of rules to make him a superstar. 

The announcers were besides themselves at kidding about the lack of a call — saying kids at home would go to the schoolyard and start using the same play, telling other kids they were simply “gathering.”

The play went viral — with even non-basketball fans making fun of the NBA.

3. Knicks Take Control in 2nd Quarter

The Knicks attack-spray-shoot-the-3 offense worked in the 2nd quarter, with Mikal Bridges and Tyler Kolek hitting early 3’s, followed by consecutive 3’s by Landry Shamet.

NY then went inside for buckets by OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns, picked up some points on free throws, and surged ahead late in the quarter on a 3 by Jordan Clarkson, a J by Clarkson off an offensive rebound, and a Jalen Brunson floater.

A Brunson 3 with a minute left put NY up 17 at 69-52, and a Mikal Bridges bucket with 16 seconds left put NY up 71-56 at the half.

4. Milwaukee Fires Back in 3rd — Takes 94-91 Lead

But the 3rd quarter was the opposite. Milwaukee scored the first 7 pts of the quarter to slice into the lead, and kept coming.

Landry Shamet made consecutive 3’s for NY but AJ Green countered with two 3’s, Greek Freak hit a drive, and Ryan Rollins hit a couple of 3’s for a Milwaukee lead at 82-81.

KAT was missing shots inside and out — he missed a drive inside, missed an offensive rebound tip, missed another inside shot, missed a 5-foot hook shot, and had a shot blocked by Bobby Portis — it was turning into a miserable night for him.

NY started hoisting up 3’s and missing — 4 straight missed 3’s near the end of the quarter, by Clarkson, KAT, Tyler Kolek, and Shamet — and Milwaukee entered the 4th up 94-91.

5. Milwaukee Dominates 4th

The Knicks pulled back into the lead midway through the 4th quarter on a Mikal Bridges drive-and-1 that made it 103-101 NY with 7:15 left.

But Milwaukee pulled away in the final 7 minutes as the Knicks were bumbling, turning the ball over several times, and missing 3’s — 3 straight at one point.

On the other end, the Knick defense could not stop Milwaukee. This was a different Knick team than the one under Thibodeau, which hung its hat on tenacious Defense.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401809980

 

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