Milwaukee @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 9, 2018 ) New York 112, Milwaukee 120

The Milwaukee Bucks are fighting for positioning in the Eastern Conference playoff picture as they visit the New York Knicks on Saturday. Milwaukee stands seventh in the competition, a half-game behind the Miami Heat and a half-game ahead of the Washington Wizards.

The Bucks have lost two of their past three games and didn't play like a postseason entrant during Thursday's 119-111 home loss to the Brooklyn Nets. "We need everybody," Bucks swingman Tony Snell told reporters. "It's playoff time. We need everybody to step up and play hard. It's a team effort, so we need everybody." New York looked like a squad ready to roll over before erupting to break a four-game losing streak with Friday's 122-98 victory over the Miami Heat. It was a rare superb performance by a squad that has already clinched a fourth consecutive 50-loss campaign, equaling the franchise's worst such stretch since 1960-64.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee), MSG (New York)

ABOUT THE BUCKS (42-37): All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has 2,004 points on the season to mark just the seventh time in franchise history that a player has reached 2,000 -- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did it five times and Michael Redd did it once. Antetokounmpo had 19 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and four steals in the loss to the Nets but his 7-of-21 shooting performance was a factor in the setback. "I just missed shots, it wasn't my day," Antetokounmpo told reporters afterward. "I've just got to keep doing the right thing. As a team, we've just got to keep doing the right thing."

ABOUT THE KNICKS (28-51): Guard Damyean Dotson exploded with career highs of 30 points and 11 rebounds against the Heat to become the first New York rookie since Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing in 1985-86 to have at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in a game. Dotson, who was a second-round draft pick out of Houston, spent time in the G League this season and has been waiting for an opportunity. "Just trying to stay the course and keep believing, keep working hard and eventually something good will happen," Dotson told reporters after his breakout game. "Just playing the right way, and believe in the development. ... I felt it would come together eventually."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Bucks are 3-0 against the Knicks this season and have won the past five meetings.

2. Milwaukee swingman Khris Middleton scored 31 points against the Nets for his ninth 30-point effort of the campaign.

3. New York G Tim Hardaway Jr. (ankle) and F Michael Beasley (knee) are questionable after being injured Friday and PG Emmanuel Mudiay (concussion) will sit out after being injured on a fall during Friday's contest.

PREDICTION: Bucks 110, Knicks 106