Knicks 113, Bucks 98: Scenes from the grit and gumption of Derrick Rose

Coming into Friday, the Knicks might have looked at their contest with the Milwaukee Bucks as a measuring stick game. Sure, the Bucks were missing Khris Middleton, but they are the champs. Surely this talented Knicks team would get up to play the champs, right?

Well, no...and then yes. The Knicks got doubled up in the first quarter, 38-19, but then staged a ridiculous comeback in the final three quarters, turning what had been a 21-point deficit into a 113-98 win.

They actually played the Bucks close for the first few minutes, but then the Bucks started raining threes — eight in the first quarter alone — and the Knicks had no answer. Friggin’ Grayson Allen had 14 points in the first quarter. It was an ass-whooping.

The Knicks, spearheaded by Derrick Rose, mounted a furious comeback in the second quarter to get to within 7 points at the half after trailing by 21 early in the frame. New York took the lead by the end of the third, ending the quarter with an absurd three from Immanuel Quickley.

IQ’s numbers (9 points on 4-9 shooting) won’t jump off the page, and he is still mired in a shooting slump, but his defense and hustle was key for the Knicks.

Julius Randle outplayed Giannis Antetokounmpo in the second half and finished with 32 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists. Jules really showed the fire and desire we’ve often missed from him this season.

But the game truly belonged to Rose. His stats were great — 23 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, zero turnovers — but it was his strength of will that was most impressive. He subbed in with the Knicks dead in the water and immediately went to work. His forays into the paint broke down Milwaukee’s D. And when they needed him to pad the lead in the fourth, Rose was burying clutch jumpers in Giannis’ eye.

What a win! Recap to come.