The Knicks better hope this was just an All-Star hangover for their defense and Julius Randle.
Randle, an All-Star reserve Sunday in Chicago, probably responded Thursday with his worst game of the season as the Knicks were pulverized in Milwaukee, 134-101. Randle scored just seven points on 3-of-12 shooting with five turnovers — a performance more reminiscent of his duds from last season. He was outplayed by Giannis Antetokounmpo, who recorded a triple-double in just 29 minutes.
Randle’s dreadful night was encapsulated in the final minutes of the third quarter, when he committed back-to-back ugly turnovers. He was stripped by Antetokounmpo, who converted a fast-break jam on the other end, then traveled on the following possession. Thibodeau sat Randle right after his travel and didn't play him again.
The Knicks (19-19) have exceeded expectations but are in a precarious period and it’s worrisome that it started so poorly. They play the Sixers twice and the Nets over the next four games. Counting Thursday’s defeat, the Knicks face the top 3 teams in the Eastern Conference five times in nine games.
“The schedule is the schedule. Sometimes it’s in your favor. Sometimes it’s not,” Thibodeau said. “Sometimes you have days before games. You always begin the season with that in mind, knowing all the things you have to go through.”
Thibodeau’s strategy Thursday was to clearly force somebody else on the Bucks to beat them, besides Antetokounmpo. They doubled and blitzed Antetokounmpo when he touched the ball. They clogged his driving lanes. Put up the wall.
The Greek Freak managed just two points in the first quarter and six field-goal attempts in the opening half. But there’s a reason he’s a two-time MVP, and Antetokounmpo was efficient while shooting 8 for 12 from the field and 7 for 7 from the foul line.
Derrick Rose missed his third straight game while in the COVID-19 protocol. His absence again thrust Frank Ntilikina into the rotation, and he was scoreless in 14 1/2 minutes of play. Elfrid Payton, the starting point guard Thursday, also struggled while missing 10 of his 14 attempts.
Thibodeau said he didn’t know whether Rose would return for Saturday’s game at OKC.
“I can’t answer that because I don’t know,” the coach said. “I’m following what (Knicks doctor) Callahan and what the league says. Once there’s clearance he’ll be available.”
The previous matchup against the Bucks, back on Dec. 27, the Knicks dropped 130 points and breezed over the title contenders. In that game, the Bucks were cold from beyond the arc, hitting just seven of their 38 attempts. Thursday night was a different story.
Milwaukee knocked down 18 treys and shot 57% overall on the Knicks’ lethargic defense.
“It’s one of the things they’re really good at. Some of (their 3-point attempts in the first game), I thought we challenged well, some of them they missed. And that’s part of it,” Thibodeau said. “Obviously when you have a player like Giannis and Khris Middleton puts a lot of pressure on you as well, there’s going to be open areas. It’s how well you can scramble out and get those areas covered. And that’s the challenge. You have to do it play after play. This team is very gifted. They can put a lot of points on the board.”
