Knicks' Kristaps Porzingis discusses All-Star Weekend and defending his title in the Skills Challenge. Steve Popper/NorthJersey.com
MILWAUKEE - Giannis Antetokounmpo was a game-time decision a few hours earlier after turning his ankle Thursday night. And with 1.9 seconds remaining he delivered a game-deciding shot.
The Bucks young star isolated Enes Kanter up top and then spun to his left, extending his arm far out and dropping in a layup delicately placed over Kanter and Kristaps Porzingis, who tried in vain to come help. The shot sent the Knicks to a 92-90 loss at the Bradley Center.
The Knicks last chance came when Tim Hardaway Jr. tried a desperate three-pointer at the buzzer, but it missed as did almost everything else he attempted. Hardaway Jr. finished 1-for-14, 0-for-9 from beyond the arc, after shooting 1-for-10 in Boston Wednesday.
Kanter had 17 points and 18 rebounds for the Knicks, but had a chance to give the Knicks the lead just before Antetokounmpo's heroics. With 24 seconds left Kanter got the ball at the rim but missed as the long Bucks defenders swarmed him.
With 2:14 remaining, Hardaway, who was just 1-for-11 at the point, helped give the Knicks a brief lead as he drove to the basket, but dropped a pass off to Kristaps Porzingis for a 90-88 advantage. But Antetokounmpo answered back with a layup on the other end and the Knicks wouldn't score again.
The Bucks then provided Hardaway with a little help as he drove downcourt after a turnover. Tony Snell caught up to him, but rather than defend the play, he wrapped him up, sending Hardaway to the line. But Hardaway misfired on the both free throws. He came up with the rebound, but missed again on a floater with just over a minute left.
"Definitely put this one on my shoulders," Hardaway said. "I take all the blame for it. Just a tough, tough pill to swallow. Opportunity to go up two on the road when you have a night off, knock those two down and it seemed like everything would be behind you. That wasn’t the case and we came up with the L. It’s going to be a tough night tonight to sleep."
Antetokounmpo then missed on a fadeaway jumper and the Knicks grabbed the rebound and called time with 41.8 seconds remaining and the score tied at 90-90.
Jabari Parker made his first appearance of the season after suffering a second torn ACL in his brief NBA career, and even with those injuries on his resumé he was scoring with ease against the Knicks, looking more athletic than anyone on the Knicks. On a minutes limit he managed to put up 12 points in just 14 minutes.
Unfortunately, most of the players not on minutes limits could not match his offensive production. When Antetokounmpo tied the score, 88-88, at the free throw line with 2:38 left the teams had each scored just 14 points in the fourth quarter.
The Knicks were tied with the Bucks, 55-55, at the half thanks to 13 points and 10 rebounds from Enes Kanter, the third straight game he has put together a double-double in the first half alone.
The offense was stagnant, but unlike Wednesday in Boston when they gave up on defense, this time they at least fought back on that end.
"Us and Milwaukee I feel like we’re really close," Porzingis said. "Just for us, could be right now, I don’t know how many games we lost like this, five, six, seven. Maybe we don’t win all of them. But we win four or five of them, it’s completely different. It is what it is. Frustration and all that, take and put it into work, come back the next game and do it again."
Skill set
Porzingis dreamed of being an All-Star and he got that this season, earning a place in the main game. But he also has an interest in defending his title in the Skills Challenge. But he’s not lacking for confidence.
“I have to be a back-to-back skills champion,” Porzingis said. “That’s the goal for me.
“They changed the rules a little bit, so there’s always going to be at least one big in the final against a guard. It’s a lot of fun that they made it this way, the guards against the bigs. I’m looking to get the title again this year.”
So among the field that includes Joel Embiid, Lauri Markkanan, Lou Williams and Donovan Mitchell among others who does Porzingis see as the challenger to his defense of the title?
“I think in the skills challenge,” he said, hesitating for a moment before adding with a smile, “I think I’m at least a head over everybody else. I’m just on a different level I think.”
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While he’ll be seeking the title on Saturday, he also has a chance of starting in Sunday night’s game.
“That’s a good question,” he said. “I mean, yeah, DeMarcus Cousins is out. So we’ll see what happens.”
Baker decision
The Knicks have not gotten a definitive answer yet on a plan for Ron Baker, who suffered a dislocated shoulder and a torn labrum Tuesday against Brooklyn. He is still deciding between a rehabilitation program or surgery.
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