Dame It! New York Knicks Fight But Fall to Milwaukee Bucks, Drop In-Season Tournament Opener

Late clutch antics from Damian Lillard negated 45 Jalen Brunson points and an inspiring New York Knicks comeback, as the Milwaukee Bucks prevailed on opening night of the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament.

Daylight savings time is coming to an end, but Dame Time remains equally deadly.

The Milwaukee Bucks were one of the winners on the first night of the NBA's inaugural In-Season Tournament, opening the competition's group play with a 110-105 victory over the New York Knicks on Friday at Fiserv Forum. Milwaukee newcomer Damian Lillard led the way for Milwaukee with 30 points, including all but one of their final nine. Jalen Brunson put up 45 points in defeat, three short of his career best.

With the win, the Bucks (3-2, 1-0 In-Season Tournament) share the early lead in the Eastern Conference's Group B, narrowly missing out on the point differential tiebreaker behind Miami, which took home a seven-point decision from Washington.

The Knicks (2-4, 0-1 In-Season Tournament) have bigger problems to worry about beyond their standing in Group B: it was another trying night from the field for Julius Randle, whose 16-points, 12-rebounds, five-assist night was once again marred by a brutal outing from the field (5-of-20, 1-of-9 from three-point range). 

Damian Lillard (0) guarded by Julius Randle during Friday's In-Season Tournament action / USA TODAY SPORTS

Even more egregious was Randle's output from the foul line he managed to outplay Giannis Antetokounmpo, limiting the two-time MVP to five shot attempts in the first half. But Randle was a brutal 1-of-5 at the charity stripe, part of a 7-of-12 effort overall as the Bucks built a 10-point lead by halftime, partially egged on by outside efforts led by Jae Crowder and Brook Lopez. That duo led the way with four each en route to 20 as a team on 39 attempts. 

With Randle struggling and RJ Barrett (knee) out for the second straight game, the Knicks' offensive load fell to Brunson and Quentin Grimes. The backcourt pairing, with second half assistance from Immanuel Quickley, accepted the challenge in style: Brunson mid-range game returned with flair and Grimes sank 5-of-10 from three-point range. 

Brunson hit only two of his eight tries with an extra point on the line but appeared to come through in the clutch with a triple with 70 seconds remaining. It was the capper of a 10-2 Knicks run over the penultimate four minutes that provided a 103-101 lead, their first since the early stages of the second period.

That advantage, however, lasted a mere seven seconds thanks to Lillard, who hit a three of his own to re-energize the home crowd. After Brunson missed a jumper on the other end, Lillard ran down the floor off a Khris Middleton and picked up a successful and-one opportunity off a Grimes foul. From there, Milwaukee was allowed to run out the clock and build the final advantage through housekeeping free throws.

Friday marked the first-ever coaching battle between New York head coach Tom Thibodeau and first-year Bucks boss Adrian Griffin, who listed the Knicks' top man as one of his inspirations and mentors after serving on his staff in Chicago. Brunson's 40-point game was the fourth of his Knicks tenure in less than two seasons, becoming just the 13th New Yorker to reach four. The Knicks and Bucks will do battle twice next month, welcoming in Christmas with a back-to-back on Dec. 23 and 25.

The Knicks' next In-Season Tournament game lands on Nov. 17 against Washington. In the meantime, they're on pace to host James Harden's Los Angeles Clippers debut on Monday night at Madison Square Garden. (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG).