Bucks win in New York
Milwaukee beats the Knicks for seventh victory in eight games.
NEW YORK - It was only the second quarter Tuesday night and the New York Knicks were already facing their worst loss of the season. This had nothing to do with the score, though.
All-star center Kristaps Porzingis went up and threw down a dunk past the outstretched arm of Milwaukee Bucks all-star Giannis Antetokounmpo to give the Knicks a one-point lead. But when he landed, Porzingis immediately went to the ground grabbing his left knee. He had to be helped to the locker room and did not return, instead going to the hospital for an MRI, where he was diagnosed with a torn left anterior cruciate ligament.
The Bucks showed no regard for the Knicks’ loss, subduing an already somber crowd by taking over the game shortly after Porzingis went down on the way to a 103-89 victory at Madison Square Garden. Milwaukee’s win was its third in a row and seventh in eight games.
“It was kind of a rough play,” Antetokounmpo said. “I don’t think I pushed him there, I think he just landed not the way he wanted. I hope he’s OK because he’s close friends with me.”
Milwaukee’s post-Porzingis surge wasn’t immediate. New York followed its star’s scary fall with an 8-0 run to take a nine-point lead — its largest advantage of the game — with 7:12 left in the second quarter. That’s when Bucks interim coach Joe Prunty called timeout, and from that moment on Milwaukee took control.
Eric Bledsoe, who scored 12 of his 23 points in the first half, got the turnaround going with a layup. Khris Middleton added six points and Giannis Antetokounmpo had five over the final six minutes of the second quarter as the Bucks used a 20-7 run to take a 50-46 lead into the half.
And they were just getting started. The Bucks kept their run going in the third quarter, opening the second half on a 6-0 over two minutes that included four points and an assist from Antetokounmpo. With their lead at 10, the Bucks only let it slip to single digits for 13 seconds as they pushed the margin as high as 21 points at 75-54 with 3 minutes 43 seconds left in the third.
During that stretch, Middleton and Antetokounmpo combined to add major insult to injury.
With just over eight minutes left in the third, Middleton stole a Lance Thomas pass and pushed ahead for a breakaway. Antetokounmpo was trailing and Middleton lofted a pass that Antetokounmpo caught in mid-air while literally soaring over New York’s Tim Hardaway Jr. on the way to a powerful jam.
“It was a bad pass by Khris, but I was able to get up and go get the ball,” Antetokounmpo said with a smile. “I did not see Tim Hardaway under me. I just went up there and just went hard and tried to get the ball and dunk the ball . ...
“I haven’t looked at my phone, but I know a lot of people are going to reach about me and ask me about the dunk, what happened, how I feel about it, which one’s better, mine or Vince (Carter’s over Frederic Weis).”
Antetokounmpo finished with 23 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists while Middleton added 20 points, but nothing they did on Tuesday night rivaled that play.
Sean Kilpatrick chipped in 16 points in the victory while Jabari Parker has 10 points and three rebounds in a seasonhigh 20 minutes. The Bucks, playing without center John Henson (right hamstring soreness), also got quality minutes from Thon Maker and Marshall Plumlee who combined for nine points and nine rebounds.
BEHIND THE BOX SCORE
Addition: Center Tyler Zeller, who was acquired by the Bucks in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night, made his Bucks debut. He logged 6 minutes, going 0 for 1 from the field, while also collecting two rebounds, two fouls and three turnovers.
“Not bad for a guy who really doesn’t know the system,” Prunty said. “Really, overall not bad. I know he’s a very good screen-setter and he got, I think two offensive fouls on screens, but I think part of it is just learning your teammates, trying to get the timing and the rhythm of not only your teammates but the offense.”
Zeller, who had to go through physical exams Tuesday morning as part of a whirlwind 24 hours, didn’t join up with the team until about 51⁄2 hours before tipoff to meet get familiar with his new teammates.
“Met with them, went over some offensive stuff which in theory I get but obviously got to keep working on it to get it where it flows,” Zeller said. “Got a lot of information, just got to keep working the next couple days.”
UP NEXT
Teams: Milwaukee Bucks (30-23) vs. Miami Heat (29-25).
When: 7 p.m. Friday.
Where: American-Airlines Arena. About the Heat: Miami has dropped four in a row and will host the Houston Rockets on Wednesday before facing the Bucks on Friday. All four of the Heat’s recent losses have been close, with Miami falling on the road to Cleveland, Philadelphia and Detroit by a combined 12 points before losing at home, 111-109, to the Orlando Magic on Monday. This losing streak is the longest of the season for the Heat. Friday’s matchup with Milwaukee in the series finale between the two teams. The Heat won each of the previous two matchups.