The New York Knicks faced the Milwaukee Bucks yesterday looking to get back on track as the team came in with a 12-14 record proving to be extremely unstable this season after starting 5-1. The Knicks faced challenges from the start as RJ Barrett, Alec Burks and Obi Toppin were out for the game with illness and health protocols, with that said the Knicks needed the next man up role. We saw Derrick Rose and Quentin Grimes start in place of Burks and Barrett and Kevin Knox II in the sixth man slot for the MIA Obi Toppin, overall this was Grimes first career start and a chance for Knox to impress the coaching as he has been sidelined a majority of the season.
The Bucks defense came in strong and at times they were unstoppable, but when the Knicks offense had their runs the Bucks’ D looked horrible. Knicks star player Julius Randle was completely shut down as he only got 8 points for the entire game and had the team -17 points when he was on the court. it was up to others around him to step up and they did. We saw a vintage Derrick Rose as he dropped 18 points in 37 minutes, Kevin Knox also got 18 points in a total of 27 minutes on the court, that is the largest amount of time Knox has played this season along with the highest point total he has gotten this season as well, overall Knox averages 3.4 points this season. The lights were all pointed at rookie Quentin Grimes as he comes out with a historic debut start in New York Knicks history, Grimes set the franchise record for most points in a players’ first start (27) and most threes made in a game by a rookie (7) as he also got three steals as well in a truly impressive debut as he did it all in a total of 40 minutes. Despite all the effort by players the Knicks would fall 112-97, moving them to a 12-15 record and improving the Bucks to 18-10.