New York Knicks vs. Milwaukee Bucks Live Blog: Instant Reactions and Analysis

A seesaw affair between the Bucks and Knicks in the first half, equal parts dazzling and dud, gave way to a dominant third quarter for Milwaukee, who moved their magic number to one with a 99-91 victory over the Knicks at MSG.

The first quarter saw Giannis Antetokounmpo wowing the lively Friday night MSG crowd with plays worthy of his "Greek Freak" moniker.

Coming off his recent benching, Antetokounmpo was bouncing all over the floor like a slim bolt of lightning, his play highlighted by a beautiful series featuring a block on one end and coast-to-coast run culminating in a massive Statue of Liberty dunk on the other.

Antetokounmpo and the Bucks took advantage of New York's sloppy play in the early going, forcing five turnovers and several errant shots. But as soon as the starters came out near the end of the quarter, New York livened up and began a run of its own.

Led by the hustle of Lou Amundson and soft touch of Shane Larkin, New York actually gave the Garden crowd something to cheer about with a 19-4 run, leading by as much as six before Kidd reinserted his starting unit.

Milwaukee hit two threes in the closing minute of the half to reclaim a slim 52-49 lead. The half featured over a dozen lead changes, with an unexpectedly feisty New York team fighting to avoid a season sweep. 

Whatever Kidd said to his team at the half seemed to work, as Milwaukee came out and blitzed New York in the third quarter, leading by as many as 19 points during a period they won 29-16. 

The Knicks actually had more rebounds and points in the paint than Milwaukee over the course of the game, but the Bucks' havoc-inducing defense caused 24 New York turnovers and several difficult looks that ultimately decided the game. 

Milwukee's terrific trio—Antetokounmpo, Michael Carter-Williams and Khris Middleton—just had too much firepower for New York to contend with on this night. The three combined for 64 points, 17 rebounds, 10 assists and 10 steals (Middleton recorded a career-high six). 

The loss, though difficult to swallow as always for the players, allowed the Knicks to maintain pole position in the race for the worst record in the NBA. Should they lose their remaining three games, they'll "earn" the best odds (25 percent) at receiving the No. 1 pick in this year's draft.

The Bucks have three games remaining on their schedule (Brooklyn, at Philadelphia, Boston), but need to win just one to secure their playoff position. With a 7-1 record against those remaining teams, Kidd should have his team—one that was standing right where the Knicks are at this time last year—patiently awaiting their playoff matchup by the end of this weekend.