Milwaukee Bucks (2-3) @ New York Knickerbockers (2-2) — Madison Square Garden 6:30 PM CT
Two point guards with clipboards will battle tonight as Derek Fisher and the new look Knicks face off against Jason Kidd and the Milwaukee Bucks.
While one coach is married to the unorthodox approach of getting wins, the other has dedicated himself at an early coaching age to the style of offense that won him five championship rings. Derek Fisher’s orchestration of Phil Jackson‘s triangle offense requires discipline, ball movement, and looking for the perfect opportunity instead of creating it.
The Milwaukee Bucks look to snap their five-game losing streak at Madison Square Garden Monday Night, when they finish the back end of a two game road trip, before they wrap up the preseason on Wednesday against the Timberwolves at home.
Usually, the sixth game on the preseason schedule would be some sort of dress rehearsal for what the regular season should look like. The Bucks though are battling with health issues all over the place, and could be missing up to three different starters tonight.
That could be a blessing in disguise though, as the Bucks continue to try and find a good rotation for the role players off the bench. Kendall Marshall, Jerryd Bayless, Nate Wolters and John Henson will all more than likely see major minutes due to the injury bug.
Meanwhile, the Knicks head into their fifth game of the preseason completely healthy.
Here’s a closer look at tonight’s matchup at the Garden.
The Intangibles
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Last Time Out
The highlight says it all. Jabari Parker took over the game from the get go and didn’t look back. The spin in the lane and flush with just :38 to go was just icing on the cake. The highly anticipated matchup against #1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins finished in the former Duke Blue Devil’s favor. He started at power forward and went 8-17 from the floor, while draining 21 points.
The Bucks did not trail after the game reached double digits.
O.J. Mayo played a major role as well for the Bucks, who will take on the Timberwolves at the Bradley on Wednesday. He scored 19 points off the bench while shooting 50% from the floor. Giannis Antetokounmpo also add 19 points in the win
One takeaway that you have to like from Friday’s game is that the Bucks did an excellent job of driving the lane and getting to the free throw line. Parker, Mayo and the Greek Freak went a combined 19/22 from the charity stripe.
Getting to the line has to become part of this team’s identity if they want to win this season.
The New Look Knicks and the Triangle Offense
From the moment that the Knicks brought in Phil Jackson as the president of basketball operations, the whole basketball world knew that the team would take a whole new identity. The Zen Master started by digging deep for the perfect coach to run his style of offense.
Everyone thought it was former Bulls floor general Steve Kerr that would resurrect the Knicks through Jackson. When the former three point specialist realized he wouldn’t be able to form his own identity, he replaced former point guard Mark Jackson at Golden State.
Now, rookie coach Derek Fisher will be called upon to lead a team with nine new faces on it’s roster. A team that is being rebuilt for the complicated yet effective offense Fisher will run.
Head coaches have thrived through the system created by the legendary Tex Winter.
Coaches have also seen their career die using it.
Fisher will benefit from having both types of coaches on his staff. It might sound funny, but Knicks assistant head coach Jim Cleamons bombed with it when he coached Bucks head coach Jason Kidd in Dallas. The man that was was imperative to Fisher and the Lakers success through their championship runs, went 28-72 before being let go after a season in a half with Kidd as his floor general.
Associate head coach Kurt Rambis bought into the system as well when he was with Phil in Los Angeles. When David Kahn called upon him to take over Minnesota, he witnessed what can happen if you don’t run the triangle honestly. He tried to convert it to an up-tempo offense and failed miserably.
Fisher won five championships as the facilitator of the offense. He’s seen Kobe Bryant flourish in it. He was coached by Cleamons and Rambis through Jackson to perfect it.
The Knicks will look to do so through Carmelo Anthony, who was convinced over the summer that he could be the focal point of the most difficult offense there is to learn.
Anyone doubting that the Knicks will make it work is foolish. Besides Winter, the best minds behind the offense are in the Big Apple. And they are stubborn enough to rebuild the roster however it takes to have success.
Second round draft pick Cleanthony Early could play a major role in the transformation as a stretch four or strong small forward. Also joining the mix is Jose Calderon — who was built to distribute in this type of offense. Recently acquired power forward Quincy Acy will also look to bring a Charles Oakley like toughness. Acy and newly acquired Samuel Dalembert will be asked to protect the rim at power forward, now that Tyson Chandler is back with the Mavericks.
Projected Starters/Injury Report
Injury Report
Knicks forward Andrea Bargnani will miss tonight’s game as he continues to battle a strained hamstring. Bargnani has not practiced all week and will most likely have to work his way into the starting lineup to begin the season.
For the Bucks, Larry Sanders will miss the rest of the preseason after an undisclosed outpatient surgery over the weekend. Point guard Brandon Knight is questionable with a groin strain. He traveled with the team to Cedar Rapids knowing there is a good chance he could play tonight. Zaza Pachulia is also questionable after straining his left hamstring on Friday against the Timberwolves. Ersan Ilyasova is also out with a right knee contusion.
Johnny O’Bryant and Damien Inglis are still out indefinitely. Inglis is recovering from ankle surgery and O’Bryant is rehabbing a right knee sprain.