How Bucks Matchup With Knicks in Potential Playoff Series

The Bucks are slotted to take on the Knicks in the playoffs if the season ended today. How would they match up with them?

Nov 8, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) looks to pass the ball against New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Bucks have started to stumble over the last week or so. They have lost four of their last six games, and that means that they have fallen to the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference standings.

With Damian Lillard out indefinitely because of blood clots, it doesn't seem likely that the Bucks are going to be able to rise up the standings. They are two and a half games behind the Pacers for fourth.

The best they could do is catch the Pistons, who have a half-game lead over them for the fifth spot. With Lillard out, that might be tough for them to do.

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With that being the case, they might be stuck in the sixth spot when the season ends. That could match them up with the New York Knicks, who they play on Friday night.

How do the Bucks match up with the Knicks, especially if Lillard is out for the first round of the playoffs? At first glance, it doesn't seem like a series that would go well.

Heading into Friday night's matchup, the Bucks are 0-2 against the Knicks this season. Neither game was particularly close, either. The closest margin of victory for the Knicks was 22 points.

Those games also happened when the Bucks had a healthy Damian Lillard. Lillard is a big part of what they do on offense, so having him out for a potential playoff series would be a massive issue.

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Milwaukee would have major issues containing Jalen Brunson defensively. They also have enough guys defensively to slow down Giannis Antetokounmpo, so Kyle Kuzma would have a massive burden on his shoulders.

If the Bucks take on the Knicks, it would likely be another first-round exit for this team. Health at the end of the year has been the biggest issue with this franchise over the last couple of seasons.

It seems that they can't keep their guys on the court when it matters the most. If they could somehow take on the Pacers instead, they might have a better chance to win.

Regardless of who their opponent is, next season will ratchet up the pressure on this team.

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