Ahead of their matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks, the New York Knicks face a challenge they haven’t overcome all season — winning without key players.
Jalen Brunson, Miles McBride, and Cameron Payne have all been ruled out, leaving the Knicks with limited options at guard. However, the Bucks will also be without their superstar point guard, Damian Lillard, who is sidelined indefinitely due to deep vein thrombosis, while Giannis Antetokounmpo is listed as questionable with a foot injury.
Despite their recent struggles, the Knicks officially clinched a playoff berth, becoming the fourth team league-wide to do so after the Hawks’ loss to the Heat. While their postseason ticket is punched, New York still has 10 games left to build momentum — and that starts with executing these three keys against Milwaukee.
3. Ball movement and offensive pace
One of the Knicks’ biggest offensive improvements has been their ball movement. Over their last 10 games, they rank fourth in the league in assists per game (29.4), surpassing their season average of 27.5. The increased passing has helped them maintain a steady offensive pace, preventing them from falling too far behind in games.
In Wednesday’s loss to the Clippers, the Knicks recorded their highest assist percentage of the season (83.3%) — the closest they had previously come was against this very same Bucks team four months ago. If New York can exploit defensive gaps in Milwaukee’s system and keep their offense fluid, they’ll have a strong shot at bouncing back.
2. Tyler Kolek’s first start — a breakout opportunity?
With Brunson, McBride, and Payne all sidelined, rookie Tyler Kolek is expected to make his first career NBA start.
Despite limited minutes, Kolek has flashed his passing ability, recording 24 assists to just one turnover in his last three games. While some may question his lack of scoring, his ability to orchestrate the offense efficiently has been a bright spot — even outperforming Brunson in assist-to-turnover ratio.
Interestingly, Kolek’s highest-scoring game this season came against Milwaukee on November 8, when he posted 8 points on 3-5 shooting. While he isn’t expected to carry the scoring load, taking a more aggressive approach offensively could be crucial. If he can capitalize on his shooting opportunities, it could be a stepping stone for a larger role down the stretch.
1. Extending the bench — A rare Thibodeau adjustment?
Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau is notorious for his tight rotations, but he had no choice but to expand his bench against the Clippers when Cameron Payne went down early with an ankle injury.
With a playoff spot secured, this could be the perfect chance to give deep bench players meaningful minutes — especially if Antetokounmpo is ruled out and the Knicks can control the game.
- Pacome Dadiet, fresh off a seven 3-pointer performance in the G League, could finally get an opportunity.
- Kevin McCullar’s size and versatility make him an intriguing option after recently scoring his first NBA bucket.
- Delon Wright may get a bigger role to help stabilize the backcourt in Brunson’s absence.
With nothing left to lose in terms of playoff positioning, this could be an ideal moment for the Knicks to experiment with their rotation, giving young players game reps in meaningful minutes instead of only playing in garbage time. Whether or not Thibodeau pulls the trigger is another story, but it’s an opportunity worth considering.