Knicks 105-110 Bucks (3 Nov, 2023) Game Recap،
MILWAUKEE – – Damian Lillard hit big shots down the stretch and Brook Lopez blocked shots at the other end of the court all night.
Lillard scored 30 points and made a 3-pointer with 1:03 left as the Milwaukee Bucks outlasted the New York Knicks 110-105 on Friday to open the season opener. Lillard converted his clutch basket thanks to a transfer from Giannis Antetokounmpo, who had 22 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
“We try to learn from each other,” Lillard said of himself and his new teammate, a two-time NBA MVP. “We’re trying to find ways to play against each other and figure out what works for each other.”
The Bucks held off a 45-point performance from New York guard Jalen Brunson, three points shy of his career high.
Lopez had eight blocks while showing the form that made him the finalist in NBA Defensive Player of the Year voting last season. He had totaled just two blocks in Milwaukee’s first four games as new Bucks coach Adrian Griffin tried different defenses that didn’t have the 7-footer around the basket as often as usual.
That changed Friday as Lopez was back in rim protection mode. Griffin said that “sometimes as coaches we are too smart for ourselves” and noted that he changed his strategy at the suggestion of a few players after a 130-111 loss at Toronto on Wednesday.
“I was smart enough to listen to them, and it paid off tonight,” Griffin said. “It was tough because you have to give up something – Brunson and his mid-range – but there were a lot of tough 2s. But it allowed us to stay home and protect the 3-point line. Brook did the rest. He was phenomenal.
Lopez thanked his new coach for his willingness to adapt.
“Obviously I really enjoyed it,” said Lopez, who scored 13 points. “I think we have a lot of guys who are very coachable. Having a head coach who is willing to listen to that and talk about it is great.
Huge performances from Lillard and Lopez almost weren’t enough. Milwaukee led by 14 in the third quarter, but that margin narrowed in the final period as the Bucks went nearly seven minutes without a field goal.
Brunson gave the Knicks their first lead since the start of the second quarter by hitting a 3 with 1:10 left. He punctuated the photo by blowing a kiss to the crowd.
Despite shooting just 2 of 8 from 3-point range, Brunson was 17 of 30 inside the arc and 9 of 11 on free throws.
“He can make 3s, but he doesn’t settle for 3s,” Lillard said. “He makes mistakes. He knows how to position himself in front of the defender. He puts the defender in difficult positions, to the point where he almost has to commit a foul. You try to defend yourself harshly like you were taught, and he has you at his mercy.
Lillard responded to Brunson’s big basket by scoring a 3-point basket of his own to put Milwaukee back in the lead for good at 104-103.
After Brunson missed a 10-foot shot with 49 seconds left, Khris Middleton found Lillard driving to the basket for a driving layup to start a 3-point play that made the score 107-103 with 38 seconds remaining.
Lopez then made her final block of the night and made one of two free throws with 17.8 seconds left. Brunson’s layup cut Milwaukee’s lead to 108-105 with 8.8 seconds left, but Lillard sealed the victory by hitting two free throws with 6.4 seconds left.
“A hard-fought (game), but we didn’t do enough to get it done at the end,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “We better come back with more determination.”
The Knicks played without RJ Barrett for a second straight game due to knee soreness.
The Bucks and Knicks are in East Group B of the tournament with Charlotte, Miami and Washington. All teams in the group will compete this month as part of their regular regular season schedule.
The tournament’s six group winners and two wild-card teams advance to the quarter-finals on December 4-5.
FOLLOWING
Knicks: At Washington on November 17 in their next in-season tournament game. Host the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday in a regular game.
Bucks: At Charlotte on November 17 in their next in-season tournament game. At the Brooklyn Nets on Monday in a regular game.
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