Jordan Nwora #13 of the Milwaukee Bucks and Alec Burks #18 of the New York Knicks reach for a loose ball during the first half of a game at Fiserv Forum on March 27, 2021 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Stacy Revere/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Stacy Revere / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
Alec Burks scored seven of his 21 points in the fourth quarter and hit the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 1:19 left as the visiting New York Knicks held off the severely shorthanded Milwaukee Bucks 102-96 Saturday night.
Burks posted his fifth straight 20-point game and set a career-high with six 3-pointers. His biggest 3-pointer came after the Bucks erased an 11-point deficit and forged a 96-96 tie on a dunk by Brook Lopez with 95 seconds left.
After a timeout, rookie Immanuel Quickley connected with Burks. Burks moved to the right side opposite Milwaukee’s bench, and before the Bucks could rotate over, he hit a clean 3-pointer for a 99-96 lead.
After the teams traded turnovers, RJ Barrett missed a 3-pointer with 20.8 left and Bryn Forbes missed a 3-pointer with 8.1 seconds left that would have tied the game.
The Knicks grabbed the rebound and after an unsuccessful challenge of a foul call to Brook Lopez, Burks hit the technical free throw for a 100-96 lead with eight seconds left.
Found a way to win in Milwaukee. Next up, Miami on Monday night.
RJ: 21 PTS | 7 REB | 7 AST
AB: 21 PTS (6-12 3PT FG) | 10 REB
D-Rose: 13 PTS in 29 MIN
Quick: 13 PTS (4 3PT)
Taj: 6 PTS | 8 REB | 4 AST pic.twitter.com/FS9EbG6Ocy— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) March 28, 2021
Milwaukee lost its second straight following an eight-game winning streak as starters Giannis Antetokounmpo (sprained left knee), Donte DiVincenzo (left foot), Jrue Holiday (left knee contusion) and Khris Middleton (left hip contusion) sat out.
Milwaukee also was without key reserves PJ Tucker (left calf strain) and Bobby Portis (health and safety protocols).
The Knicks won their third straight game and did it without leading scorer Julius Randle (right thigh contusion) and also lost Mitchell Robinson to a fractured right foot midway through the first quarter.
Barrett also scored 21 points for the Knicks, who shot 43 percent, hit 16 3-pointers and had a season-high 28 assists while struggling with Milwaukee’s zone at times. Quickley added 13, as did Derrick Rose, who returned after missing 10 games due to COVID-19.
Thanasis Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee with a career-high 23 points, while rookie Jordan Nwora added a season-best 21 in his first start.
New York scored nine straight points to take a 79-73 lead on a dunk by Noel with 1:38 left in the third, and they still led 81-77 going into the fourth quarter.
The Knicks opened the fourth with a 9-2 spurt and took a 90-79 lead on a 3-pointer by Quickley with 9:25, left but Milwaukee stormed back.