New York @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 6, 2018 ) Milwaukee 103, New York 89

The Milwaukee Bucks have some margin for error as they hold onto the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, but they must take advantage of a soft portion of the schedule to solidify that position. The Bucks begin a run of lesser opponents when they host the New York Knicks on Friday.

After the Knicks - who have lost 13 of 14 - leave town, Milwaukee plays at Memphis and Orlando and then hosts Atlanta, giving it four straight opponents that entered Thursday a combined 95 games below .500. "We gotta win. There's nothing more than that," All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo said at Wednesday's practice when asked about the upcoming opponents. "We've gotta go out there and play hard and do whatever it takes to win these four games." The Knicks are one loss away from clinching their fifth consecutive losing season. Their eighth straight road loss was a 111-87 setback at Portland on Tuesday in which they scored 35 points in the second half.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee)

ABOUT THE KNICKS (24-41): New York seems intent on sticking with Emmanuel Mudiay as the starting point guard despite his struggles since joining the team at the trade deadline. "I'm not thinking too much but I've been indecisive,’’ Mudiay told reporters after going 1-for-9 from the field against Portland. "Me and Lance [Thomas] had a conversation. He was right on about being indecisive. It's cliche but just trying to figure it out. It's my seventh game. I'm not trying to use that as an excuse. But I'm just trying to figure out the whole thing. We just haven't played a lot of games together." The 22-year-old is 3-for-25 from the floor over the last three games.


ABOUT THE BUCKS (34-31): Milwaukee entered Thursday with a five-game lead on the ninth-place Detroit Pistons after Wednesday's loss, its sixth in the last seven games. Antetokounmpo led the way against Houston with 30 points and he's averaging 28.3 while shooting 54.9 percent at home. The 23-year-old averaged 26 points, 11 rebounds and four assists as the Bucks defeated the Knicks twice in a five-day span last month.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Knicks C Enes Kanter has a double-double in 13 of his last 15 games.

2. Bucks C Tyler Zeller (back) sat out the last two games but was able to take part in portions of Thursday's practice.

3. Milwaukee SF Khris Middleton recorded exactly three steals in three of his last four games

PREDICTION: Bucks 109, Knicks 99