Coming into the first game of the NBA’s Christmas Day Line-up, the Milwaukee Bucks (22-8) had won seven in a row, and nine straight against the The New York Knicks (17-12)
In a not-so-happy coincidence, the Knicks hosted the Bucks in a Saturday loss, their third to Milwaukee this season. Today, Madison Square Garden played host again and expectations were low. The starriest Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, scored 32 points apiece, but their team shot poorly on the whole, while the Knicks finally enjoyed a true big three performance. In a turnaround, RJ Barrett showed up strong early on, Jalen Brunson provided his usual leadership, and Julius Randle contributed 24 points (and nine rebounds) to guide the Knicks to a 129-122 victory.