Game 1 of 82: New York Knicks v Milwaukee Bucks (Review)

Game 1 of 82            NY Knicks v Milwaukee Bucks         Prediction- Score: 102-92

Post-Game Story Actual- Score: 90-83

By Malcolm Merritt

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The New York Knicks were able to hold on and defeat the Milwaukee Bucks at home Wednesday night.

On Wednesday night, the New York Knicks played the Milwaukee Bucks at Madison Square Garden. The night was full of its own twists and turns. The Knicks began to the game with one word in mind: aggression.

They started off with a small, the two point guard lineup: Felton, Prigioni, Shumpert, Anthony and Chandler. The Knicks raced out to an early lead because of their stifling defense, while forcing 18 turnovers. Bucks’ guard Brandon Knight, recently acquired in a trade with Detroit for guard Brandon Jennings, was injured in the first two minutes of the contest with a strained hamstring. Backup point guard Luke Ridnour was out with back spasms, which left rookie guard Nate Wolters with a lot of minutes to deal with. The Knicks took full advantage of Milwaukee’s predicament and were able to hold them to 31 first half points.

The second half was a different story. It was actually a complete switch from the aggressiveness in the first half. They seemed to have devolved into a complacent, sloppy, version of themselves. The Bucks’ defense stepped up and their shots began to fall. They outscored New York 33-18 in the third quarter. With four minutes left in he fourth quarter, the Knicks were staring at a one point deficit (81-80) as John Henson hit a free throw. Tyson Chandler and Carmelo Anthony rallied as they led the Knicks to a 7 point victory, 90-83 holding off the Bucks in a high-energy ending.

Carmelo Anthony finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds, as he led the Knicks in both categories. He missed his first seven shots in the fourth quarter but made two key baskets in the final two minutes if the game. He shot 7 for 16 overall with one assist. But the co-MVPs of this game were Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton. For Felton, he completely controlled the pace. Quick Fact: When he left with a hamstring injury in the 3rd quarter, the Knicks were up by 17. Once he returned in the fourth, the lead was obliterated. New York turned around, surging towards their eventual victory. He finished with 18 points and 3 assists as he exhibited great speed and body control in his 34 minutes of play. Tyson Chandler led by example. The former Defensive Player of the Year finished with 5 blocks, one in the final moments of the game as Nate Wolters went for the finish. His aggression towards the rim on offense created several emphatic dunks and dazzling alley-oop finishes. His intensity fueled the game with an intensity that seemed to be lacking throughout the game. Chandler finished with 10 points and 6 rebounds, and if that level of play continues into the rest of the season, it is going to be a good year for New York.

The Bucks relied heavily on their newcomers this game, as they look to meld throughout the season. Gary Neal, Carob Butler and OJ Mayo scored 16, 14 and 13 points respectively. Ersan Ilyasova looked very good shooting 5 for 6 from the field for 10 points in 20 minutes. Look for his playing time to increase as the season goes along.

Finally, the Knicks’ newcomers came onto the new court ready to make a statement. Tim Hardaway Jr. looked smooth the entire time he was on the floor. He had five points on 2 for 2 shooting. Bargnani struggled in his Knicks debut and the game as well as ball movement decreased when he was in the game. He started 0 for 4 if the bench and eventually finished 3 for 9 with 6 points and 2 boards. Metta World Peace played well defensively in his Knicks’ debut, finishing with 4 points and 4 rebounds.

New York will play Chicago Thursday night at 8:00 pm on TNT. Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls are coming off a tough loss at the hands of the Heat and are trying to avoid an 0-2 start as Rose re-acclimates himself with the NBA game play.

Happy Halloween!!