Bucks' buzzer-beater sinks Knicks
NEW YORK – Giannis Antetokounmpo hit a step-back jumper near the free throw line as time expired to lift the Milwaukee Bucks to a 105-104 win over the New York Knicks on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.
Antetokounmpo posted his 16th double-double of the season with 27 points and 13 rebounds for Milwaukee (18-16).
Lance Thomas was draped all over Antetokounmpo on the shot, but the Bucks forward found a little space with a back step to nail the winner.
Milwaukee fought back from a 16-point third-quarter deficit.
Carmelo Anthony led the Knicks (16-19), losers of six straight, with 30 points and 11 rebounds for his third double-double this season. Derrick Rose and Mindaugas Kuzminskas added 15 points each for New York, which has allowed at least 100 points in the six losses.
Greg Monroe, who made a free throw to get the Bucks to 104-103 with 33 seconds to play, chipped in with 18 points and nine rebounds.
Thomas and Anthony sank back-to-back 3-pointers to give the Knicks a 98-93 lead with 5:39 to play and Anthony's putback dunk extended the lead to 100-93.
Milwaukee was able to get to 95-91 but went 3:22 without a made field goal. A 14-2 burst by Milwaukee in three minutes early in the fourth quarter cut the Knicks' lead to 89-87.
Anthony poured in 14 points as the Knicks outscored the Bucks 35-21 in the third quarter, taking an 87-73 lead.
New York opened the third quarter on a 16-5 run to grab a 68-57 cushion with 5:57 left. Joakim Noah had six points and six rebounds in the run.
Rose, who scored 11 points in the first half, tied the score at 52 with a layup with 26 seconds left.
Neither team was able to put together any significant run in the first half. Milwaukee's biggest lead was four points and New York's largest margin was three points.
The tight first quarter resulted in five lead changes and the score was tied five times before Greg Monroe's dunk with 11.9 seconds left lifted Milwaukee to a 27-25 edge.
NOTES: Knicks F Kristaps Porzingis missed his third straight game with a sore left Achilles. ... The Knicks assigned C Maurice Ndour to Westchester of the D-League. ... Milwaukee G Matthew Dellavedova was out with a strained right hamstring. ... Bucks F Giannis Antetokounmpo is the only player in the NBA averaging better than 20 points, 9.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.5 blocked shots per game. ... Bucks coach Jason Kidd and F Steve Novak were teammates with the Knicks during the 2012-13 season. ... The Bucks and Knicks face each other on Friday in Milwaukee.