Knicks at Bucks
Carmelo Anthony will play his first regular season game in nearly nine months when he leads the New York Knicks into a season opener at Milwaukee on Wednesday. The superstar forward missed every game after the All-Star break last season - the Knicks' worst in franchise history - following left knee surgery, but showed he was ready to return to form with a fast start in the preseason, averaging 18.7 points on 66.7 percent shooting in his first three games back on the court.
As the 31-year-old Anthony - who has played more than 70 games just once in four full seasons with New York - looks for a more complete campaign, he is encouraged by the Knicks' increased depth. Their offseason additions included shooting guard Arron Afflalo, center Robin Lopez, forwards Kevin Seraphin and Derrick Williams, and 7-foot-3 Latvian rookie Kristaps Porzingis. "We have a deeper roster where before my problem in the past was in being able to take a game here, a game there, feeling I had to do it all myself," Anthony told the New York Post. Coming off a playoff appearance in Jason Kidd's first season at the helm, Milwaukee opens up without young stars Giannis Antetokounmpo (suspension) and Jabari Parker (knee), who is expected to return in November.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
ABOUT THE KNICKS (2014-15: 17-65): A fast start will help the Knicks in their bid for a turnaround, but it will be a challenge with a slate that includes eight playoff teams in the first 10 games, including two contests against Cleveland and one apiece against Atlanta and San Antonio. In addition, they will be without Afflalo for much of that stretch as he recovers from a hamstring strain. Seraphin (knee) is unlikely to play Wednesday, which should give fellow big man Kyle O'Quinn more minutes backing up Lopez.
ABOUT THE BUCKS (2014-15: 41-41): Wednesday marks the formal Milwaukee debut for power forward Greg Monroe, who spurned the Knicks before signing a three-year max deal with the Bucks. The 25-year-old is actually one of the veterans in a promising young core that includes Parker, Antetokounmpo, shooting guard Khris Middleton and point guard Michael Carter-Williams. Middleton may be primed for a breakout campaign after averaging 16.8 points following the All-Star break.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Middleton had 22 points, seven rebounds and a career-high six steals in the final meeting last season, helping Milwaukee sweep the season series 4-0.
2. Williams averaged 18 points in 22.2 minutes over his final five preseason games.
3. Anthony is averaging 26.8 points in 31 career games against the Bucks.