Knicks at Bucks
After the end of a long losing streak, New York looks to put together consecutive wins when it visits Milwaukee on Tuesday in the opener of a two-game road trip. The Knicks suffered five single-digit losses during a seven-game slide - including a buzzer-beater setback against Utah on Friday - before finally snapping out of it with a 109-93 victory over Denver on Sunday. Carmelo Anthony, who had 46 points in Friday's loss, led the way with 28 points and nine rebounds in the slump-busting win.
New York has won eight of the last nine games against Milwaukee but will be facing a different Bucks team that has won three of four after a 91-84 win at Miami on Sunday. Milwaukee dominated the defending Eastern Conference champs in the second half, riding three late 3-pointers by Brandon Knight to a victory that brought Jason Kidd's team back to .500 at 5-5. The Bucks did not pick up their fifth win until their 21st game last season.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
ABOUT THE KNICKS (3-8): When J.R. Smith was made into a full-time starter late last season the Knicks flourished, going 16-5 down the stretch to nearly steal the final playoff spot in the East. His insertion into the starting lineup Sunday in place of the injured Iman Shumpert had a similar impact, as Smith scored a season-high 28 points on 10-of-16 shooting to spark New York's best offensive effort of the season. Shumpert, who shot 50 percent or better in four straight games while averaging 14.5 points before he hurt his hip against Utah, is still listed as day-to-day.
ABOUT THE BUCKS (5-5): Milwaukee's offensive attack is actually producing 3.7 points fewer per game than last season's dismal 15-win squad, but the Bucks' ability to tighten things up on the defensive end has turned around their fortunes early on. Milwaukee ranks third in the league in scoring defense (92.6) and steals per game (9.3) while ranking fourth in field-goal percentage defense (41.8) and 10th in blocks (5.3) entering Monday's action. They were in the bottom third in each category a season ago and held just four teams under 85 points; Miami was already the fourth victim to suffer that fate under Kidd's Bucks.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Anthony hit 9-of-17 3-pointers while averaging 32.5 points in two games at Milwaukee in 2013-14.
2. Bucks F Giannis Antetokounmpo has scored in double figures in a career-high four straight games.
3. New York is fifth in the league in 3-point percentage (39.3) while Milwaukee is last (29.6).