Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 38 points sink skidding Knicks

Julius Randle pledged his allegiance to the Knicks earlier within the day, however neither the slumping All-Star nor his crew instantly might reverse their associated skids. 

Randle was no match for two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in a 123-108 street loss to the Bucks on Friday evening in Milwaukee. It marked the sixth defeat in seven video games for the fading Knicks, who fell to 23-27 and behind Atlanta into twelfth place within the Jap Convention standings. 

The regressing Randle, who mentioned on the morning shootaround that he nonetheless needs to “be part of” the Knicks and “to see this factor by means of,” was scoreless within the first quarter earlier than ending with a quiet 9 factors and 11 rebounds over 37 minutes. 

Evan Fournier scored 25 factors and RJ Barrett netted 23 for the Knicks, who play their subsequent two video games at dwelling towards Sacramento and Memphis earlier than a frightening five-game Western swing begins later subsequent week. 

Antetokounmpo led the Bucks (31-20) with 38 factors and 13 rebounds, Jrue Holliday had 24 factors and Khris Middleton completed with 20. 

The Knicks trailed by 5 by means of three quarters, however Antetokounmpo netted seven factors — together with a ferocious dunk and one of many Bucks’ 14 3-pointers — in a 20-6 run early within the fourth quarter to push the result in 16. 

Tom Thibodeau caught with the identical beginning unit that was dominated at each ends of the court docket Wednesday by the Warmth in Miami. However Randle dedicated two early turnovers, and he was outscored by Antetokounmpo 13-0 within the first quarter alone, because the Bucks nailed 5 3-pointers and scored 39 factors to seize a nine-point lead. 

Nerlens Noel dedicated a Flagrant-1 for contact to the face of Antetokounmpo early within the second, and the Bucks prolonged their result in as many as 15. However the Knicks closed the half on a 21-10 run — together with Randle’s first two baskets of the sport within the ultimate two minutes — to path 67-63 at intermission. Every crew related on 9 3-pointers within the half, with Barrett netting 13 factors and Quentin Grimes nailing three triples for 11 factors off the bench. 

Barrett’s trey early within the third shaved the Knicks’ deficit to at least one, however Antetokounmpo answered with a thunderous dunk over Mitchell Robinson. He upped his level complete to 26 with 9 within the interval as Milwaukee led 93-88 getting into the ultimate quarter.

This put up first appeared on Nypost.com