Bucks demolish Knicks 146-122 to secure 1/2 final spot

The Milwaukee Bucks effortlessly routed the New York Knicks 146-122 to progress to the 1/2 finals of the In-Season Tournament on Tuesday night.

Knocked out the Knicks.#FearTheDeer pic.twitter.com/vLiSwJNQR5

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) December 6, 2023

Giannis Antetokounmpo shone for Milwaukee with 35 points and 10 assists, while Damian Lillard added 28 of his own.

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The Bucks recorded a season high in scoring, shooting 60.5% (23 of 38) from 3-point range and 60.4% overall to set up a matchup with Indiana in Las Vegas on Thursday.

“Tonight was a huge step. We wanted to get to Vegas but when we get to Vegas we’ve got to take care of business. We’ve got two games to win there,” coach Adrian Griffin said. “I thought tonight our team was the better team. Our bench was terrific and I thought the crowd was terrific. It had all the makings of a playoff game.”

Julius Randle led the way for the Knicks with superb 41 points, but his individual display was pretty much the only positive for New York, who ended their 3-game winning streak.

Jalen Brunson notched 24 points, while R.J. Barrett added another 23.