Copyright yardbarker
In what’s becoming a depressingly familiar story for Knicks fans, New York snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, blowing a 12-point halftime lead to the Milwaukee Bucks in a 121-111 loss on Tuesday night. It was a tale of two halves, and frankly, the second half was a horror show that left New York’s fans shaking their heads. Jalen Brunson was on fire, pouring in 36 points and looking every bit the superstar the Knicks need. But the game, and perhaps the Knicks’ immediate future, took a dramatic and painful turn midway through the fourth quarter. A Turning Point for the Knicks The pivotal moment felt like something out of a sports movie, just with the wrong team as the hero. With the Knicks clinging to a slim lead, Brunson went down. He’d been scrambling for a loose ball and was already moving like he was wading through cement. Then, while dribbling near the Bucks’ bench, he crumpled to the floor in obvious pain, losing the ball and his balance simultaneously. As Brunson sat on the hardwood, a collective gasp could be heard from every sports bar in the five boroughs. The Bucks, smelling blood in the water, pounced. Giannis Antetokounmpo, who had a monstrous night with 37 points, scooped up the loose ball and thundered down the court for a game-tying dunk. It was a gut punch. That play ignited an 8-0 run for Milwaukee, and the Knicks never recovered. From Dominance To Disarray It is hard to believe how drastically the game shifted. The Knicks were cruising at halftime, up 71-59, and looked poised to snap a losing streak against the Bucks. Brunson was cooking, Mikal Bridges chipped in a solid 24 points, and for a moment, it felt like this was a different Knicks team. But the third quarter started, and the Bucks came out like a team possessed. They tightened up their defense, and the Knicks’ offense went ice-cold. Milwaukee outscored New York 62-40 in the second half. It was a complete meltdown, fueled by Giannis’s unstoppable drives and an unexpected career-high 25 points from Ryan Rollins of all people. Where did that come from? Brunson, ever the warrior, stayed in the game after a timeout, but he was clearly hobbled. The momentum had swung, and there was no getting it back. The energy had been sucked out of the Knicks, and the Bucks just ran away with it. This loss is a tough pill to swallow. It’s not just that the Knicks lost; it’s how they lost. A dominant first half, followed by a complete implosion and a key injury to their best player. It raises questions, stirs up old anxieties, and leaves everyone wondering what’s next. The Knicks will try to regroup before heading to Chicago to face the Bulls on Friday, but all eyes will be on the status of Brunson’s leg. The team’s hopes might just be resting on it.
