Knicks suffer worst outing in loss to Bucks
Bucks' Brandon Jennings puts up a shot around Knicks' Amare Stoudemire during the second half, Tuesday, in Milwaukee. (Nov. 9, 2010) Credit: AP
MILWAUKEE - You know it's probably not going to be your night when your assistant trainer gets whistled for a technical foul for coming onto the court to help an injured player.
And it's definitely not your night when your star player gets a T for arguing with the opposing coach.
Both of those were the Knicks' fates last night. They suffered through their worst outing of the season in a 107-80 loss to the Bucks at the Bradley Center.
The Knicks (3-4) fell behind by 26 points in the first half and 30 at the end and never challenged the Bucks (3-5), who were led by Brandon Jennings' 19 points and six assists.
"They manned us up," coach Mike D'Antoni said. "They got into us and we just didn't respond real well."
Amar'e Stoudamire led the Knicks with 19 points. He did not play in the fourth quarter, and the Knicks will try to regroup Wednesday night against David Lee and the Golden State Warriors at the Garden.
The game started off well enough for the Knicks. Stoudemire dunked over Andrew Bogut for the first points of the night - much to the chagrin of the small, green-clad crowd of 13,266, which booed Stoudemire and chanted "second choice" at the Knicks' $100-million man.
The last time those two met, on April 3 when Stoudemire played for Phoenix, was the last time Bogut's right elbow felt good. Stoudemire fouled Bogut hard on a dunk - he was called for a flagrant - and Bogut suffered a season-ending elbow injury he is still feeling.
Bogut got even in more ways than one. He got Stoudemire with an elbow at 8:26 of the third, which is what led to Stoudemire's technical foul.
"That was intentional," said Stoudemire, who admitted starting the animated discussion with Bucks coach Scott Skiles.
Did Stoudemire think the elbow was payback?
"Possibly," he said. "I don't know what he's thinking. I think they might have amped him up to play very physical out there and that might have been the way he reacted on the court. No worries."
Raymond Felton and assistant trainer Anthony Goenaga also drew technicals - Goenaga for coming onto the court after Timofey Mozgov was flattened by Drew Gooden (17 points, eight rebounds) and appeared to be injured. Mozgov walked off OK, though.
"That was a miscommunication," D'Antoni said. "We thought the refs called us out there . . . I don't think it made a big difference in the game. I think we would have still probably lost."
Felton was whistled for arguing a foul call after trying (futilely) to defend Jennings, the point guard the Knicks passed up in the draft a few years ago to take Jordan Hill at No. 8 overall.
Milwaukee's biggest first-half lead was 62-36 with 1:04 left. They led by 21 at intermission and 23 after three.
The Knicks twice closed to within 14 in the third but could not make a serious run. Late in the quarter, D'Antoni went with Stoudemire and four youngsters - Anthony Randolph, Landry Fields, Toney Douglas and Roger Mason Jr.
It didn't work. The Bucks got the lead back up to 24.
"We have to really look at ourselves in the mirror," Stoudemire said.
