The New York Knicks made a commanding statement on the road Friday night, cruising to a 127-98 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. New York never trailed in this one, building a 20-point halftime advantage and never letting the Bucks get comfortable enough to mount a serious challenge. With a 52.3% field goal percentage and a blistering 50% from three-point range, the Knicks put together one of their most complete road performances of the 2025-26 season, sending the home crowd of 17,341 home disappointed early in the fourth quarter.
Quarter-by-Quarter Breakdown
First Quarter: Knicks Come Out Firing — NY 38, MIL 30
New York set the tone from the opening tip, outscoring Milwaukee 38-30 in the first quarter. The Knicks moved the ball efficiently, generating easy looks and forcing the Bucks defense into a series of uncomfortable rotations. Milwaukee showed some early life but could not match New York’s pace or shooting touch. A 38-point opening quarter signaled from the jump that the Knicks came to Fiserv Forum with a clear game plan — and the personnel to execute it.
Second Quarter: Knicks Pull Away — NY 39, MIL 27
If the first quarter was a warning shot, the second was the knockout punch. New York poured in another 39 points while holding the Bucks to just 27, turning a manageable eight-point deficit for Milwaukee into a 20-point halftime hole at 77-57. The Knicks’ ball movement was relentless — 33 assists on 46 made field goals for the game tells the story of a team playing connected, unselfish basketball. Milwaukee simply had no answers defensively, and their own offensive rhythm never found solid footing before the break.
Third Quarter: Bucks Stabilize, Can’t Cut Into Lead — NY 26, MIL 26
To Milwaukee’s credit, the Bucks came out of halftime with more energy and matched the Knicks point-for-point in the third quarter, 26-26. The home team trimmed nothing from the deficit, however, and a 20-point lead heading into the fourth quarter was always going to be a steep hill to climb. The third quarter represented the Bucks’ best stretch of play in the game, but it came too late to matter.
Fourth Quarter: Knicks Coast to the Finish — NY 24, MIL 15
With the outcome already decided, both teams managed their rotations in the final frame. New York outscored Milwaukee 24-15 in the fourth to push the final margin to 29 points. The Bucks’ offense, which managed just 15 points in the closing quarter, could not generate enough momentum for even a cosmetic comeback. It was a clean, professional finish from the Knicks.
Key Performers
Jalen Brunson — New York Knicks
Brunson was the engine of New York’s offense, finishing with a game-high 27 points and 7 rebounds, earning the top efficiency rating on the floor. The Knicks’ point guard was in control from the opening minutes, making smart decisions, hitting contested mid-range jumpers, and setting the tone for New York’s offensive execution. His 7 rebounds from the guard position also illustrated how thoroughly the Knicks dominated on the glass.
Karl-Anthony Towns — New York Knicks
Towns was a presence on both ends of the court, pulling down a team-high 13 rebounds to anchor the Knicks’ advantage on the boards. New York outrebounded Milwaukee 44-34 for the game, and Towns’ interior work was central to that margin. His ability to stretch defenses while also cleaning the glass gives New York a matchup problem that Milwaukee had no real answer for on this night.
Mikal Bridges — New York Knicks
Bridges added a team-high 6 assists, contributing to New York’s 33 total assists on the evening. His two-way versatility — the ability to push pace in transition, defend multiple positions, and make the right pass — was on display throughout and helped sustain the Knicks’ first-half scoring explosion.
Myles Turner — Milwaukee Bucks
Turner was Milwaukee’s most productive player on a tough night, leading the team with 19 points and earning the Bucks’ top efficiency mark. The veteran center provided a bright spot in an otherwise difficult evening, giving Milwaukee a reliable offensive option in the post and from the perimeter. His effort stood out even as the team around him struggled to find consistent production.
Kevin Porter Jr. — Milwaukee Bucks
Porter Jr. led Milwaukee with a double-double of sorts in the peripheral categories, recording a team-high 10 assists and 6 rebounds. His playmaking gave the Bucks some positive moments in the halfcourt, but the team’s overall shooting efficiency — 42.9% from the field — made it difficult to convert those opportunities into enough points to threaten New York’s lead.
Game Analysis
This was a game decided by efficiency. The Knicks shot 52.3% from the field and an impressive 50.0% from three-point range (21-of-42), while Milwaukee shot just 42.9% overall and connected on 38.1% of their three-point attempts. The Knicks also won the rebounding battle 44-34 and generated 33 assists, compared to 24 for the Bucks — a telling indicator of which team was generating better shot quality through ball movement.
Milwaukee’s 22 free throw attempts versus New York’s 16 suggests the Bucks did get into the lane, but a 72.7% free throw percentage meant they couldn’t fully capitalize on those opportunities. The Knicks converted 87.5% of their free throws, adding another layer to an already efficient offensive night.
The 77-point first-half performance by New York was the defining factor. Scoring 38 and 39 points in the opening two quarters against a home team in front of its own crowd is a statement performance. The Bucks had no answer for New York’s pace, spacing, and ball movement in those first 24 minutes, and by the time they stabilized in the third quarter, the game was already beyond reach.
For Milwaukee, the questions about roster construction and defensive consistency continue to mount. Dropping to 26-32 on the season — just 14-14 at home — the Bucks find themselves well outside the top half of the Eastern Conference standings, a far cry from the expectations that come with playing at Fiserv Forum. The absence of a consistent secondary scorer alongside Turner was evident, as the Bucks’ offense leaned heavily on one player to generate production.
Standings and Implications
With the victory, the New York Knicks improve to 38-22 on the season, solidifying their standing as one of the Eastern Conference’s premier teams. Their road record of 16-14 continues to demonstrate the kind of consistency needed to compete in the playoffs, and a 22-8 mark at Madison Square Garden makes them a genuinely difficult out in any postseason matchup. The Knicks are building toward a deep playoff run, and performances like this road win in Milwaukee only strengthen that case.
For the Bucks, the road ahead is challenging. At 26-32, Milwaukee will need to win consistently down the stretch simply to secure a play-in berth. Friday’s 29-point loss at home is the kind of result that raises hard questions about the team’s ceiling this season. The front office and coaching staff will have work to do in the final weeks of the regular season to put together a competitive push and avoid an early exit from the postseason picture altogether.
