Milwaukee Bucks

After two straight losses, the New York Knicks are back to their winning ways after a 113-98 win over the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks on Friday night to move to 6-3 on the season.

Julius Randle was a significant factor in the win, as was Derrick Rose and RJ Barrett, who continue to be key pieces for New York as the season rolls on.

Notable Player Stats

Julius Randle, PF, NYK: 32 PTS, 12 REB, 4 AST, 2 BLK

Giannis Antetokounmpo, PF, MIL: 25 PTS, 7 REB, 4 AST, 2 STL

RJ Barrett, SG, NYK: 20 PTS, 7 REB, 3 AST

Grayson Allen, SG, MIL: 22 PTS, 5 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK

Derrick Rose, PG, NYK: 23 PTS, 8 REB, 4 AST, 2 STL

Kemba Walker Has Rough Night, But Derrick Rose Effective off Bench

Kemba Walker continued to struggle Friday night against the Bucks after recording just four points, four rebounds and four assists in a loss to the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday.

The veteran point guard recorded just five points, one rebound and one assist on 2-of-8 shooting from the field and 1-of-5 shooting from deep against Milwaukee. Luckily for New York, a solid performance off the bench from Derrick Rose was enough to help the Knicks bounce back from a 21-point deficit.

𝓢𝓲𝓰𝓷𝓪𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓮 𝓓-𝓡𝓸𝓼𝓮 pic.twitter.com/M8pY5AgbwD

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) November 6, 2021

🚂 @drose 💨 pic.twitter.com/sck4fXk6Ce

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) November 6, 2021

Rose has arguably been more effective than Walker this season, which should make New York at least consider inserting him into the starting lineup, especially given the latter's recent struggles.

Evan Fournier also struggled mightily against Milwaukee, recording seven points and two rebounds on 3-of-13 shooting overall. 

However, Julius Randle, RJ Barrett and Nerlens Noel proved to be difference-makers for the Knicks Friday night. The trio combined for 58 points, 32 rebounds and seven assists in the win.

If the Knicks are going to keep winning games, though, they'll need Walker and Fournier to put together much better performances than they did Friday night.

Grayson Allen's Big Night Not Enough

Former Duke star Grayson Allen put together his best game of the season Friday against the Knicks, finishing with 22 points, five rebounds and two assists on 14-of-21 shooting.

Mean, green stealing machine.

Grayson is doing it all!! pic.twitter.com/hZQQj5cbGa

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) November 6, 2021

Grayson's first half. ☔️☔️☔️ pic.twitter.com/uEj8PfP1d8

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) November 6, 2021

Allen was particularly effective in the first half for Milwaukee, scoring 17 points and going 6-of-8 from the field. He put up 14 points in the first quarter alone:

Doris Burke with the call...@Bucks newcomer Grayson Allen (11 PTS in Q1) right on cue! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/oc8DoFQxC2

— NBA (@NBA) November 6, 2021

Allen has started all nine games for the Bucks this season and entered Friday's game averaging 13 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game while shooting 39.1 percent from the field.

Giannis Antetokounmpo also had a solid night, which doesn't come as a surprise. However, his brother Thanasis struggled in his fifth game as a starter, recording just four points, three rebounds and two assists. 

George Hill and Pat Connaughton were also particularly ineffective, combining for just 11 points, four rebounds and five assists on 4-of-10 shooting.

Regardless of the loss, Allen's emergence will still be key for Milwaukee throughout the 2021-22 season with Donte DiVincenzo sidelined after ankle surgery. His consistency this season has also been a pleasant surprise for the Bucks, who are also without Khris Middleton (COVID-19) and Brook Lopez (back injury).

What's Next?

The Knicks will host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday, while the Bucks will be on the road to take on the Washington Wizards. 

Milwaukee Bucks star Khris Middleton has entered the NBA's health and safety protocols after testing positive for COVID-19.

"We thought he just had a head cold or some type of non-COVID illness," Milwaukee coach Mike Budenholzer said Tuesday. "And then, [he] didn't feel good again the next day. Got tested and has come back positive."

The team listed him as out ahead of Tuesday's matchup with the Detroit Pistons.

Middleton missed Milwaukee's 107-95 loss to the Utah Jazz on Sunday. Budenholzer told reporters the two-time All-Star was experiencing an illness that he was "assuming" wasn't related to COVID-19.

Middleton is the third player to enter the NBA's protocols this week, joining the Cleveland Cavaliers' Kevin Love and Philadelphia 76ers' Tobias Harris.

It's unclear how much time the 30-year-old will miss.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Jim Owczarski noted players who test positive for COVID-19 have to isolate for at least 10 days or yield two negative tests at least 24 hours apart. Players who are deemed a close contact have a much shorter waiting period depending on their vaccination status.

Middleton is averaging 20.0 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists through six games. He's shooting 43.1 percent from the field and 25.7 percent from beyond the arc.

Injuries have already become a problem for the Bucks.

Jrue Holiday has been limited to two games with a bruised right heel. Donte DiVincenzo has yet to make his season debut while he recovers from left ankle surgery in June. Brook Lopez is nursing a back injury.

Milwaukee (3-4) is riding a three-game losing streak and sits 11th in the Eastern Conference. It's too early to panic about the defending NBA champions, but Middleton's absence won't help the Bucks break out of their slide.

The Milwaukee Bucks will celebrate their 2020-21 NBA championship at the White House on Nov. 8, according to ESPN's Tim Bontemps.

The trip will come one day after Milwaukee plays at the Washington Wizards.

The Cleveland Cavaliers in November 2016 were the last NBA champions to meet with the president.

The annual tradition became far less common during Donald Trump's presidency.

Trump rescinded an invitation to the Golden State Warriors in September 2017 after star Stephen Curry and other Warriors said they wouldn't want to go if the opportunity presented itself. Trump's proclamation prompted a famous retort from Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James:

U bum @StephenCurry30 already said he ain't going! So therefore ain't no invite. Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!

— LeBron James (@KingJames) September 23, 2017

The trend spread across multiple leagues as teams sent smaller player delegations or skipped the event altogether.

After Joe Biden was elected to succeed Trump in the Oval Office, Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes reported the Los Angeles Lakers were hopeful of making the trek to the White House to commemorate their 2019-20 championship.

However, Dave McMenamin of ESPN reported in April that scheduling issues and COVID-19 protocols provided too many logistical challenges to make it a reality.

In July, White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters a formal invitation would likely be forthcoming for the Bucks after they beat the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Finals.

"I'm sure we will invite them to the White House," she said. "We don't have a scheduled meeting quite yet. I'm sure they're celebrating on their own today."

If nothing else, Anthony Edwards is the most honest player in the NBA.

The Minnesota Timberwolves guard was asked about defending Giannis Antetokounmpo following Monday's win over the Milwaukee Bucks and gave a perfectly unfiltered explanation of what it's like playing against the two-time MVP.

"With a guy like that, you can’t stress about him scoring. That’s what he gonna do. Motherf--ker's 7’2", 280 pounds. There ain’t nothing you can do about it. Like s--t, we put four people on him, and he still score the ball. I was telling [Leandro Bolmaro] today—because we played against him last year—I’m like, 'Bruh, I ain’t never seen nothing like it.' You can put four people on him, he might miss it, jump right back up and dunk that bih ... He’s unstoppable. I don’t know what to say."

Anthony Edwards talks Giannis Antetokounmpo pic.twitter.com/eRITPZyzDR

— Jace frederick (@JaceFrederick) October 28, 2021

Antetokoumpo finished with 40 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists in the Bucks' 113-108 loss to Minnesota, which is off to a surprising 3-1 start this season. Edwards had 25 points, his third time in four games with at least 25.

But the real takeaway from this game is that Edwards has an incredible future in scouting. Whenever he decides to hang up his shoes, he could make a killing on Patreon by giving his colorful descriptions of players' games.

Let's hope we get a few more scouting reports from Edwards moving forward.

The Milwaukee Bucks suffered an injury blow in the first half of Tuesday's season opener against the Brooklyn Nets.

Starting point guard Jrue Holiday went down with a right heel contusion, and Milwaukee ruled him out for the remainder of the game.

After the game, Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters Holiday's MRI came back clean.

Holiday appeared to suffer the injury on a drive to the basket in the second quarter. He had 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting in 18 minutes before exiting the game. The Bucks came out hot to start the game, leading by as many as 19 in the first half before the Nets closed the gap. Milwaukee was plus-17 with Holiday on the floor.

Prior to the game, Holiday and the defending champion Bucks held a ring ceremony celebrating their title win and unveiled their 2021 championship banner.

Holiday is one of the best two-way guards in the NBA. A two-time NBA All-Defensive first-team selection, he averaged 17.7 points and 6.1 assists during the 2020-21 season. He upped his production and dished out 8.7 assists during Milwaukee's postseason run.

Without Holiday, veteran backup point guard George Hill is sure to see more action. Shooting guards Grayson Allen and Pat Connaughton also could be called upon to shoulder more ball-handling duties.

Allen, who was acquired in the offseason in a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies, was signed to a two-year contract extension on Monday and started Tuesday's game in the backcourt alongside Holiday.

Milwaukee has yet to provide information regarding the severity of Holiday's injury, so it remains to be seen if he will end up missing time beyond Tuesday.

The reigning NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks kicked off the 2021-22 season with a ring ceremony on their home court at Fiserv Forum.

The championship ring was crafted by Jewelers Mutual Group and features the phrases "Fear The Deer" and "Bucks In 6" with Milwaukee's series results from last year's postseason. The top of the ring is detachable and doubles as a chain.

2021 Championship Ring.

💍 @JewelersMutual pic.twitter.com/O30OcMaHXq

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) October 19, 2021

https://twitter.com/Bucks/status/1450597302394105864

It's here & it's perfect.

💍: @JewelersMutual pic.twitter.com/qhxI5RvnHV

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) October 19, 2021

Always & forever Bucks in Six

💍: @JewelersMutual pic.twitter.com/UKWvkbqZh2

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) October 19, 2021

It's more than just a ring.

💍: @JewelersMutual pic.twitter.com/7voQeJxApk

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) October 19, 2021

First to receive their rings were members of the Bucks ownership group. Milwaukee also honored former Senator Herb Kohl, who owned the team from 1985 to 2014, with a championship ring.

Senator Herb Kohl receives his ring!! pic.twitter.com/XdMc85aECp

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) October 19, 2021

After the coaches received their rings, it was time for the players to be honored.

Giannis watching his brother, Thanasis, get his ring ❤️ https://t.co/8D542UJtFj

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 19, 2021

BOBBY!
BOBBY!
BOBBY! pic.twitter.com/sjeXxtszXM

— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) October 19, 2021

Last up was 2021 NBA Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was serenaded with chants of "MVP!" His running mate, Khris Middleton, spoke to the crowd and thanked the fans as Milwaukee then unveiled its 2021 championship banner, its first in 50 years.

“MVP!” 🗣

Giannis finally gets his ring https://t.co/AvZPtYpwUF

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 19, 2021

https://twitter.com/Bucks/status/1450602633337589761

After the celebration, the Bucks will open their season against the Brooklyn Nets, who they defeated in seven games in the Eastern Conference semifinals. 

After acquiring shooting guard Grayson Allen from the Memphis Grizzlies in August, the Milwaukee Bucks have reportedly decided to lock him up with an extension.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Bucks and Allen have agreed to terms on a two-year rookie contract extension worth $20 million.

"Grayson is a talented guard who we expect to be an excellent fit with our team,” Bucks general manager Jon Horst said in August after completing the trade. "His three-point shooting, energy, toughness and basketball IQ make him a great addition."

Drafted 21st overall by the Utah Jazz in 2018, Allen averaged career highs in scoring (10.6), rebounding (3.2) and assists (2.2) in 50 games with 38 starts for the Grizzlies last season. He shot 41.8 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from three-point range. With the Bucks losing sharpshooter Bryn Forbes in free agency, Allen's shooting will help fill that void.

Allen is perhaps best known for his four-year run at Duke. As a freshman, he helped lead the Blue Devils to a national championship in 2015. He made a name for himself when he scored 16 points in the title game.

But Allen's college career was mired by controversy. He developed a reputation as a dirty player after multiple incidents in which he appeared to intentionally trip opposing players. After an incident during his junior season, he was suspended for one game and stripped of his captaincy by Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski.

The defending-champion Bucks will begin their season on NBA opening night on Tuesday at home against the Brooklyn Nets.     

Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst agreed to a long-term contract extension with the organization, he told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

"With [ownership] Marc Lasry, Wes Edens, Jamie Dinan, Mike Fascitelli, what those guys have done for me and my family and my career, giving me this opportunity and trusting in me, I'll forever be grateful to them and loyal to them," Horst said on The Woj Pod. "... I'm excited to continue to work for them, and with Bud, with Giannis, with [team president] Peter Feigin, the greatest partners in this business, and all our players."

Horst had one year remaining on his contract. He has been the Bucks' general manager since 2017 and has been with the organization since 2008.

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This article will be updated to provide more information on this story as it becomes available.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo is atop the NBA world as the reigning NBA Finals MVP, but he wants more.

"Are we satisfied? I'm not satisfied. I'm not even close to being satisfied," Antetokounmpo told reporters Monday. "That's the tone we got to set as a team. As the leader of this team, that's the tone I'm going to set. We understand that teams are coming for us, but we're going to be ready."

He said the title doesn't change his goal heading into the 2021-22 campaign:

Right now what I want is to get better. I don't care about trophies. I don't care about the MVPs. I don't care about Defensive Player of the Years. All those things, I don't care. I care about getting better because if I do that more things are coming.

That's what I've done my whole career and that's how I am in this position. So, there's no weight off my shoulder, I feel the same weight. I enjoy, obviously, that we're the champions, but the weight is the same. Get better.

If he gets better, the rest of the league is officially on notice.

After all, the 26-year-old is already a two-time MVP, five-time All-NBA selection, four-time All-Defensive selection, one-time Defensive Player of the Year and five-time All-Star. There are few players in NBA history as decorated as he is, and his dominance was on full display with the championship hanging in the balance last season.

He finished with 50 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks while shooting 16-of-25 from the field and 17-of-19 from the free-throw line during Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Phoenix Suns.

It was a closeout game for the history books, and he joined Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon as the only players in league history with an MVP, Finals MVP and Defensive Player of the Year.

That is quite the company to keep, although both of those players won multiple championships during their legendary careers.

No wonder Antetokounmpo isn't satisfied with just one.

Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo said Friday on Greek television channel Cosmote TV that he is still hurting from the knee injury he suffered during the 2020-21 postseason. 

"If you work hard, you don't drink, don't smoke, do what you have to for eight, nine years, you can be ready for a misfortune. I shouldn't have played in Game 1 of the NBA Finals," he said (h/t Eurohoops). "I was in a lot of pain. I'm still hurting. But I'll be OK."

That Antetokounmpo played injured through the NBA Finals adds to his legendary performance. He averaged 35.2 points, 13.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.2 steals per game and won the Finals MVP award.

His 50 points, 14 rebounds, five blocks and two assists in Game 6 to clinch the championship was one of the great postseason performances in NBA history given the stakes and the stage.

At age 26, the Greek Freak is an NBA champion, NBA Finals MVP, two-time regular-season MVP, five-time All-Star, three-time first-team All-NBA selection, three-time first-team All-Defensive selection, the 2016-17 Most Improved Player and the 2019-20 Defensive Player of the Year. 

Just don't remind Giannis about his accolades—he doesn't want to grow complacent. 

"I can't be fake. I am Giannis. But calling me MVP, calling me champ, calling me the best player in the world, is something that might hold me back," he told Cosmote TV. "And I don't want anything holding me back. I want to look forward and be better."

So if Antetokounmpo isn't the best player in the world, who is? He listed Kevin Durant, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, Luka Doncic, Stephen Curry and Anthony Davis as players worthy of the label before settling on King James as the wearer of the crown.

“I like being a hunter," he added. "I am not the best player in the world. I am telling you, I am not!"