Milwaukee visits Madison Square Garden on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. ET, with local coverage on WCGV and MSG. The Bucks just struggled to keep up with Boston, and New York presents another difficult half-court matchup. At the time of this writing the spread and total odds were not released. See more NBA picks.
Milwaukee Needs to Make Its First Shot Count
The Bucks are 1-9 and 0-4 on the road after losing 117-97 to Boston on Sunday. They scored 107 against Toronto on Friday and still lost by 14. One better shooting quarter won’t fix the defensive problems behind those margins.
Milwaukee averages 108.4 points and gives up 121.6. The Bucks need to finish defensive possessions with rebounds, then get the ball up before New York sets its defense. Giving Brunson another chance after a miss is particularly costly because the Knicks can use the reset to find a switch they like.
Kyle Kuzma scored 27 against Boston, and Tyler Herro had 23 points and 10 assists against Toronto. Herro’s passing matters if New York cuts off the first drive. Milwaukee needs the next player to attack immediately rather than giving the Knicks time to recover.
New York Can Control the Game Without Rushing
The Knicks are 5-4 and 3-2 at home after Saturday’s 109-97 win at Cleveland. New York held the Cavaliers to 17 points in the third quarter. That gave the Knicks room to win without scoring much above their own season average.
New York averages 109.9 points and allows 104.2. It can afford to play patiently here. If Milwaukee sends help at the ball, the Knicks can work inside or move it to the weak side instead of settling for the first available jumper.
Jalen Brunson had 31 points and nine assists against Cleveland, while Karl-Anthony Towns added 29 points and 13 rebounds. The Bucks have to account for Towns both as a shooter and on the glass, which makes it harder to commit a second defender to Brunson.
Bucks vs Knicks Team Comparison
| Category | Milwaukee | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 1-9 | 5-4 |
| Road / home | 0-4 road | 3-2 home |
| Points scored / allowed per game | 108.4 / 121.6 | 109.9 / 104.2 |
| Most recent result | Lost 117-97 to Boston | Won 109-97 at Cleveland |
Bucks vs Knicks Head-to-Head
| Prior meeting | Result | Margin / total |
|---|---|---|
| November 28, 2025 | New York 118, Milwaukee 109 | New York by 9 / 227 points |
That game gives some context for the matchup. The stronger reason to favor New York now is the gap in points allowed this season.
Bucks vs Knicks Position-by-Position
| Position | Milwaukee | New York | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| PG | Needs clean entries against pressure | Brunson can dictate the pace | New York |
| SG | Herro can score or find the roller | Can make his catches difficult | Milwaukee for creation |
| SF | Must close out without giving up straight-line drives | Can attack the space Brunson creates | New York |
| PF | Kuzma adds secondary scoring | Can help inside and recover to shooters | Even |
| C | Must contest away from the rim and still rebound | Towns creates problems in both spots | New York |
Milwaukee Bucks vs New York Knicks Picks and Prediction
Side Pick: New York to Win
I like the Knicks outright because they can control the game even if they don’t shoot particularly well. Milwaukee can hang around if Herro creates clean threes and the Bucks hold up on the glass. How much separation New York can create is a separate question. There’s no official spread pick yet.
Total Pick: Pending
I project New York 117, Milwaukee 101. Milwaukee’s defense could send the score higher, but the Bucks have to contribute against a team allowing 104.2 per game. I’ll wait for the posted total before making a pick.
Final Picks: New York to win. Spread and total pending.
Completed November 9, 2026. Lines and player availability can change before tipoff.