3 things the Knicks need to do to sweep weekend series against Thunder and Bucks

The New York Knicks are set for two of their most highly anticipated matchups of the season against the Oklahoma City Thunder and Milwaukee Bucks. These games mark their second meeting with each team — an emphatic 116-94 victory over Milwaukee earlier this season and a tough 117-107 loss to Oklahoma City.

Currently sitting as the third seed in the Eastern Conference, the Knicks face the league’s hardest remaining schedule, a true test of their ability to compete with top-tier teams. To regain momentum and spark another winning streak, here’s what they’ll need to focus on:

3. Dominate the second quarter

While the fourth quarter often garners the most attention, the Knicks have built their identity around dominating the second quarter. During their impressive nine-game win streak, they outscored their opponents in the second quarter in seven of those games. Even amidst their recent three-game losing streak, the Knicks held strong in the second quarter against the Thunder and Chicago Bulls, entering halftime with significant leads.

Averaging 30.7 points in the second quarter, the Knicks rank second in the league in this category. This success reflects head coach Tom Thibodeau’s approach to taking control of games early. Against Milwaukee and Oklahoma City, the Knicks outscored their opponents by 12 and 15 points, respectively, in the second quarter — a critical stretch where they can capitalize on bench matchups and maintain momentum.

2. Deuce McBride’s return is crucial

Bench production has been a glaring weakness for the Knicks, who rank dead last in the league in bench scoring at just 19.6 points per game. A major contributor to their struggles has been the absence of Deuce McBride, who has missed the last five games due to injury.

McBride’s scoring presence has been sorely missed, with opponents’ bench units significantly outproducing the Knicks during his absence. In their recent losses, the Thunder’s bench outscored the Knicks 44-5, the Bulls 31-17, and the Magic 50-18. McBride’s 9.8 points per game this season may not seem flashy, but his ability to provide offensive spark and stabilize the bench has been a critical component of the team’s success.

1. Fix the 3-point woes

3-point shooting has become a glaring issue for the Knicks, ranking 28th in the league in percentage and averaging just 10.1 made 3s over the last 10 games. While they’re not a team that relies heavily on perimeter shooting, their struggles from deep have been a major setback in recent matchups.

Jalen Brunson’s shooting slump has been a significant factor. Over his last 13 games, Brunson has shot below 40 percent from the field in eight contests and gone just 6-for-43 (13.9 percent) from beyond the arc. As the team’s leader, Brunson’s ability to recover his efficiency from deep will be crucial against opponents like the Bucks and Thunder, both of whom can punish teams with their 3-point shooting.

Milwaukee boasts three players among the league’s top 30 in 3-point shooting, while the Knicks rely solely on Karl-Anthony Towns to anchor their perimeter game. Additionally, in their loss to Oklahoma City, Aaron Wiggins erupted for 19 points, including four 3-pointers, many of which came in crunch time.

If the Knicks can focus on improving their weaknesses and executing their game plan, they’ll be well-positioned to compete against some of the league’s toughest opponents and maintain their status as a top-three team in the East.