The Milwaukee Bucks just got absolutely stomped by the New York Knicks, dropping a brutal 117-85 game that saw them suffer what’s being called their “ugliest loss of the season.” Seriously, their second and fourth quarters were just flat-out awful. If you watched this one, you know the feeling, that pit in your stomach when your squad can’t get out of its own way.
The Quarters That Collapsed the Bucks’ Castle
This loss wasn’t just a bad game; it was a tale of two horrific stretches. The Bucks actually started okay, with Turner hitting the first field goal of the game, a three-pointer from the top of the key. Ryan Rollins, making his first start since Halloween against Cleveland, even had five quick points and two assists to tie it at 13 early on. But then the Knicks’ defense stiffened, with Mikal Bridges slamming the door on Nate Ament’s fast break attempt. After New York snagged a quick five points, coach Jenkins had to call a timeout. Ament did manage to spin through double coverage for an and-one finish for his first points, breaking an 8-0 Knicks run, and Kasparas Jakucionis kept chipping away as they ended the first quarter down 26-21.
Then, the second quarter hit, and it was a dumpster fire. Kel’el Ware’s lone field goal came nearly four minutes into the frame, and that pretty much sums it up. The “interesting experiment” of AJ Green and Ousmane Dieng starting alongside Ware and Jaquez Jr. just didn’t work. The Bucks had no speed to keep up with New York on either end of the court. Dieng hit a three, which was the only made bucket for a long stretch, but it wasn’t enough. Thankfully, Ament, after subbing back in, picked off an Andre Drummond pass and finished in transition, looking more like a seasoned vet than a rookie. He was the lone bright spot, ending the half with a team-high seven points and two steals as the Bucks headed into halftime down 58-34. That’s a 24-point swing right there!
Who Showed Up, and Who Went Missing
Individually, some guys tried to make a mark, but the team effort just wasn’t there for the Bucks. Jaime Jaquez Jr. led all Milwaukee starters with 16 points. Kasparas Jakucionis had a strong showing off the bench, leading their second unit with 11 points and four assists. Meanwhile, on the Knicks side, Jalen Brunson was on fire, leading his team with 23 points. And Tyler Kolek, Marquette’s own (and apparently the newest enemy of the Swifties, what a wild detail!), led New York’s bench with 12.
For the Bucks, the absence of Tyler Herro, who sat out, definitely felt like a factor. You need all your weapons against a team like the Knicks, especially at Madison Square Garden. Despite a somewhat better third quarter where Milwaukee scored nine quick points, capped by a Jaquez steal and layup, and even managed an “electric” 15-3 run to cut the deficit to 14, it wasn’t enough to overcome the early collapse. They just couldn’t sustain that fight.
This kind of performance is a serious wake-up call early in the season. You can’t have quarters like that and expect to compete, let alone win, against good teams. The Bucks have to figure out their speed issues and consistency, especially on defense, if they want to avoid more “ugliest loss of the season” headlines.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Brew Hoop.
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