New York Knicks: 3 takeaways from Christmas loss to Bucks

2. Great perimeter defense fueled early success

Up until the halftime mark, the New York Knicks seemed like a great match for the Bucks, only trailing by two points at the break. The game looked like it could go either way as any team could take the lead with a small run.

But then New York’s defense collapsed, ultimately leading to a 36-point third quarter for Milwaukee. Yes we’re talking about one of the league’s best offensive teams, but it’s such a shame losing a primetime matchup due to a couple of minutes of defensive laziness.

Throughout the game, the Bucks were just 6-for-32 from behind the arc, which is exactly why this game was up for the taking, had the Knicks remained focused.

Some of the praise has to be given to Noah Vonleh, who was the one guarding Giannis Antetokounmpo. He did a pretty solid job limiting him in the early stages of the game, thus keeping New York in the game. To top it all off, props for providing Knicks fans with a special stocking-stuffer:

Even though the Knicks started the game ice cold from the field, some great defensive possessions ensured that the Bucks wouldn’t score their usual 116.9 points per game.