NEW YORK vs MIAMI
When: 2/9/2021 7:30 PM
Where: Miami

TV: 7:30 PM
LINE: -7
PREDICTION: MIAMI , NEW YORK

Oddsmakers currently have the Miami Heat listed as -7 point favorites versus the New York Knicks, while the game’s total is sitting at 208.

The Heat are 6-11 in conference matchups. Miami has a 1/3 record in one-possession games.

The Knicks have gone 8-8 against Eastern Conference opponents. New York averages 46.6 rebounds per game and is 1-10 when opponents win the rebound battle.

The teams square off for the second straight game.

TOP PERFORMERS:

Duncan Robinson leads the Heat with 3.4 made 3-pointers, and is averaging 13 points while shooting 40.4% from beyond the arc. Bam Adebayo is shooting 54.5% and averaging 21.5 points over the last 10 games for Miami.

Julius Randle leads the Knicks averaging 6.0 assists while scoring 22.7 points per game. Immanuel Quickley is averaging two made 3-pointers and scoring 14.2 points over the last 10 games for New York.

LAST 10 GAMES:

Heat: 3-7, averaging 103.4 points, 41.4 rebounds, 24.5 assists, 7.3 steals, and 3.7 blocks per game while shooting 44.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 107.9 points on 44.4% shooting.

Knicks: 4-6, averaging 105.9 points, 46.7 rebounds, 20.2 assists, 5.9 steals, and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 45.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.2 points on 44.3% shooting.

INJURIES:

Heat: Avery Bradley: out (calf), Chris Silva: out (hip), Maurice Harkless: day to day (thigh), Goran Dragic: day to day (ankle), Meyers Leonard: out for season (shoulder).

Knicks: Derrick Rose: day to day (left knee), Nerlens Noel: day to day (knee).

BOTTOM LINE: Eastern Conference foes Miami and New York face off on Tuesday.

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PORTLAND vs NEW YORK
When: 2/6/2021 1:05 PM
Where:

TV: 1:05 PM
LINE:
PREDICTION: NEW YORK , PORTLAND

Oddsmakers currently have the NEW YORK listed as 1.5 point favorites versus the PORTLAND, while the game’s total is sitting at 218.5.

Carmelo Anthony and Enes Kanter didn’t get to play for the New York Knicks when one of the NBA’s marquee franchises fully embraced its role as the scrappy underdog.

But Anthony and Kanter will have a pretty good idea of what life is like these days for the Knicks on Saturday afternoon, when the duo is scheduled to lead the Portland Trail Blazers into New York for a rare non-conference matinee.

Both teams earned road wins in their previous games. The Trail Blazers ensured themselves at least a .500 road trip Thursday night, when undermanned Portland rode a dominant third quarter to a surprising 121-105 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. The Knicks earned a split of a two-game set with the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday by edging the hosts, 107-103.

The Trail Blazers beat one of the Eastern Conference’s top teams despite missing four-fifths of their optimal starting lineup. Leading scorer Damian Lillard was sidelined with a lingering abdominal injury he aggravated against the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night. He joined second-leading scorer CJ McCollum (foot) as well as Jusuf Nurkic (right wrist) and Derrick Jones Jr. (foot) on the bench.

But Anthony, who tied a season-high with 22 points, and Kanter, who posted his sixth straight double-double by collecting 17 points and 18 rebounds, sparked a resurgent effort by the Trail Blazers, who broke open a tie game by scoring the first 14 points of the third quarter to take a 71-57 lead. Gary Trent Jr., who had a team-high 24 points, drained a pair of 3-pointers in the run.

“It will always be a memorable win,” Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts said.

The Knicks haven’t enjoyed too many memorable wins since the last time they made the playoffs in 2012-13, when Anthony won the NBA scoring title while sparking a run to the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The Knicks were 184-374 over the subsequent seven seasons– including 17-65 in 2018-19, when Kanter averaged 14.0 points and 10.5 rebounds in 44 games before being waived and eventually signed by the Trail Blazers — before finally committing to a rebuild this season under first-year head coach Tom Thibodeau.

On Wednesday, the Knicks started four players age 26 or younger as they improved to 10-13. New York needed 34 games to get to 10 wins last season and didn’t record its 10th win until the 39th game of the 2018-19 campaign.

The most exciting young player for the Knicks has been rookie point guard Immanuel Quickley, who hasn’t started this season but has scored in double digits in nine of the 19 games in which he’s played. On Wednesday, though, New York was led by starting point guard Elfrid Payton, who scored 20 points and pulled down eight rebounds.

“Listen, we need everyone,” Thibodeau said. “Some nights it’s his night and some nights it’s someone else’s night. That’s what I love about our team. We have to share in that, and we have to do it together.”

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NEW YORK vs CHICAGO
When: 2/3/2021 8:00 PM
Where:

TV: 8:00 PM
LINE: -2
PREDICTION: CHICAGO , NEW YORK

Oddsmakers currently have the CHICAGO listed as -2 point favorites versus the NEW YORK, while the game’s total is sitting at 216.

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NEW YORK vs CHICAGO
When: 2/1/2021 8:00 PM
Where:

TV: 8:00 PM
LINE: -4
PREDICTION: CHICAGO , NEW YORK

Oddsmakers currently have the CHICAGO listed as -4 point favorites versus the NEW YORK, while the game’s total is sitting at 218.

Defense may be at the heart of the New York Knicks’ improvement in their first season under coach Tom Thibodeau, but it wasn’t evident on Sunday against the L.A. Clippers.

The Knicks gave up a season-high 129 points to the Clippers and allowed them to shoot 54.3 percent from the field. New York entered the contest holding opponents to 43 percent shooting and 102.7 points per game.

The Knicks will take on another capable offensive team on Monday night when they visit the Bulls in the first of back-to-back games at Chicago this week.

The Knicks, according to NBA Advanced Stats, have a top-10 defensive rating after finishing 23rd in that category last season. The defensive effort has complemented their consistent offensive output, which continued on Sunday.

Julius Randle continued to pace New York on that end of the floor with 27 points and 12 rebounds, Immanuel Quickley totaled 25 points and RJ Barrett finished with 23 points.

“I thought offensively (we) were good,” Thibodeau said. “Defensively, it’s not what we would have liked.”

Quickley followed up his 25-point performance against the Cavaliers last week as the rookie out of Kentucky continued to deliver off the bench.

“We saw it right from the first day he got here the way he approached things,” Thibodeau said. “He’s a student of the game, a great worker, a great attitude, a great approach. And the ups and downs of an NBA season, I think he prepares himself very well and his confidence comes from his preparation.”

The Bulls watched a five-point lead slip away in the final nine seconds in a 123-122 loss to Portland courtesy of Damian Lillard on Saturday. Lillard’s two triples including his game-winner at the buzzer spoiled Chicago’s bid for a second comeback victory this season against the Trail Blazers.

Chicago overcame a 20-point deficit in an 111-108 win at Portland on Jan. 5 and rallied from 19 points down on Saturday.

“We have to learn how to win and close out these kinds of games,” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said. “I’ve said before the losing is painful with some of the ways we lost.”

Lillard buried seven of his eight three-pointers over the final two quarters and sparked Portland’s comeback.

Lauri Markkanen finished with a season-high 31 points. Zach LaVine (team-high 26.9 points per game) finished with 26 points and Thaddeus Young finished just shy of a triple-double with eight points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists.

After Lillard’s triple with 8.2 seconds left, Gary Trent Jr. tied up LaVine for a jump ball and won the tip to set up the game-winner.

“It was about as quick as a jump ball as I’ve ever seen,” Donovan said. “You can’t challenge that. I didn’t think it was a really good call at that point and time.

“Listen, we have to be stronger in those situations. I could’ve helped a little more by possibly calling a timeout to advance the ball.”

On the injury front for Chicago, Wendell Carter Jr. (right quad contusion) is out and Otto Porter Jr. (back spasms) is listed as questionable.

For the Knicks, Nerlens Noel (groin) sat out against the Clippers, but Reggie Bullock (neck soreness) returned following a three-game absence and scored eight points in just over 26 minutes.

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NEW YORK vs PORTLAND
When: 1/24/2021 10:00 PM
Where:

TV: 10:00 PM
LINE: -4
PREDICTION: PORTLAND , NEW YORK

Oddsmakers currently have the PORTLAND listed as -4 point favorites versus the NEW YORK, while the game’s total is sitting at 214.

The Portland Trail Blazers received an unexpected but welcome break this week, and figure to be fresh and rejuvenated Sunday night when they host the New York Knicks.

Portland’s scheduled games on Wednesday and Friday against Memphis were postponed due to COVID-19 issues for the Grizzlies. So, Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts saw an opening to refine some things in practice and tinker with player rotations.

It was certainly well-timed after recent injuries to shooting guard CJ McCollum (foot) and big man Jusuf Nurkic (wrist).

“Between getting extra rest and extra reps, the practices have been good for us,” Stotts said. “It helped. There is no question that having extra time to work on things on both ends — we need to adjust. Different guys will have different roles. From that standpoint, missing these two games was good for us.”

Though five-time All-Star Damian Lillard (team-best 28.1 scoring average) remains Portland’s main man, the injury to McCollum is a major blow.

The 29-year-old had stepped up his game this season and was off to a superb start. He was averaging a career-high 26.7 points in 13 games before sustaining the hairline fracture in his left foot against the Atlanta Hawks on Jan. 16.

Seldom-used Rodney Hood will be asked to soften the loss of McCollum. Things went well on Monday against the San Antonio Spurs when Hood scored a season-best 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting in 25 minutes.

Hood figures to stay in the starting five as Stotts would prefer to continue bringing sharpshooter Gary Trent Jr. off the bench.

That is definitely appealing to Hood, who is hoping to find his rhythm after scoring just 18 points all season prior to Monday.

“I feel like I got off to a better flow, just being in the game,” Hood said. “Sometimes when you come off the bench, you never know when you coming in.

“I just had a good flow coming in,” he continued. “(Lillard) was trying to get me going real early, coaches trying to get me going real early because they know down the long stretch of the season, I’m gonna need to be back to myself. So (Monday) was a good start for me.”

New York is 1-1 during a four-game road excursion that continues through Tuesday against the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City.

The Knicks posted a 119-104 win over the Golden State Warriors on Thursday before falling 103-94 to the Sacramento Kings the following night.

New York scored just 40 second-half points in the loss to Sacramento. The Knicks moved within two points with 4:30 to play before the Kings put the game away with an 11-2 burst.

The disappearing act down the stretch left coach Tom Thibodeau in a sour mood.

“Obviously we didn’t finish well,” Thibodeau said. “I did like the fight in the fourth quarter to come back, but we didn’t close it out. It’s hard to win on the road if you’re not doing all the little things. The games keep coming. We have to improve.”

Julius Randle contributed 26 points and 15 rebounds in his latest solid performance. The 26-year-old has registered four consecutive double-doubles and is averaging 20.8 points and 15.3 rebounds during the stretch.

Randle was miffed with the loss to the Kings, which followed a three-game winning streak.

“This was a weird, weird game for us,” Randle said. “We started off slow, worked our way out of it and was up at the half. The third and fourth quarter was a little bit of a funk. I don’t even know what happened. The ball stuck a little bit.”

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ORLANDO vs NEW YORK
When: 1/18/2021 12:00 PM
Where:

TV: 12:00 PM
LINE: 1
PREDICTION: NEW YORK , ORLANDO

Oddsmakers currently have the NEW YORK listed as 1 point favorites versus the ORLANDO, while the game’s total is sitting at 208.

The New York Knicks enjoyed a resounding victory that felt like it was five years in the making on Sunday when they routed the Boston Celtics.

Or was it just five losses in the making?

Fewer than 24 hours after the win over the Celtics, the Knicks look to build a winning streak on Monday when they host the Orlando Magic in a Martin Luther King Jr. Day matinee.

The visiting Knicks ended a five-game losing streak Sunday by snapping the Celtics’ five-game winning streak with a 105-75 victory. The Magic sustained their fifth straight loss Saturday by dropping a 122-115 decision to the host Brooklyn Nets.

The Knicks led by as many as 37 points in the fourth quarter Sunday on their way to the franchise’s first 30-point win since a 128-97 victory over the Phoenix Suns on March 9, 2016. It was also the first 30-point win for New York over Boston since a 102-70 victory on Nov. 4, 1997.

The win was cathartic for the Knicks and first-year head coach Tom Thibodeau, who celebrated his 63rd birthday on Sunday. The gift was seeing New York yield some dividends from the preparation it put in and experiences gleaned during the five-game losing streak.

After losing three straight games by double-digit margins, the Knicks mounted a late comeback in a 116-109 loss to the Nets last Wednesday. They also had a chance to take the lead in the final minute of a 106-103 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.

“I told our players this: The way they’re practicing — the attitude, the approach, and how they’re practicing — has been positive,” Thibodeau said Sunday afternoon. “(On Friday) I thought we were terrific in the shoot-around and we played well enough to win on the road. We didn’t close out the game we would’ve liked. Then (Saturday) in practice, I thought was terrific. As long as we’re doing the right things, I know we’ll improve and we’ll keep getting better.”

The Magic hope a similar breakthrough is imminent. Orlando’s losing streak began Jan. 8, two days after point guard Markelle Fultz sustained a season-ending torn ACL in his left knee during a 105-94 victory over the Cavaliers.

The Magic, who were 6-2 with Fultz in the lineup, fell by double figures in each of the next four games and lost three of those by at least 22 points. But Orlando looked re-energized in a challenging situation against the new-look Nets on Saturday when James Harden made his Brooklyn debut with a triple-double.

“Let’s be honest — and I talked about this candidly with the group today — the Markelle injury has taken a lot out of us,” Magic head coach Steve Clifford said Saturday night. “We have other guys down too, but tonight was the first time since the Cleveland game where I think that we started to find a belief in a way that we could play, so we have a chance to take a step forward.”

The Magic also played Saturday without Evan Fournier (back spasms), Michael Carter-Williams (foot), Chuma Okeke (knee), and Mo Bamba (coronavirus protocols).

The Knicks are 19-13 all-time at home on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. New York was on the road for the holiday last season when it posted a 106-86 win over the Cavaliers for just the second time since 1987.

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NEW YORK vs BOSTON
When: 1/17/2021 1:00 PM
Where:

TV: 1:00 PM
LINE: -7.5
PREDICTION: BOSTON , NEW YORK

Oddsmakers currently have the BOSTON listed as -7.5 point favorites versus the NEW YORK, while the game’s total is sitting at 212.5.

The Boston Celtics surely would have preferred to build the longest active winning streak in the Eastern Conference in a more traditional fashion.

For the New York Knicks, the longest active losing streak in the East has unfolded with an unfortunate sense of familiarity.

The Celtics look to continue getting back into the rhythm of the season and extend their winning streak on Sunday afternoon when they host the Knicks in a battle of longtime rivals.

Boston returned to action after a week-long break due to health and safety protocols Friday, when it won its fifth straight game with a 124-97 victory over the visiting Orlando Magic.

The Knicks continued skidding Friday when they dropped a 106-103 decision to the host Cleveland Cavaliers.

The return to action went as well as possible for the Celtics, who hadn’t played since Jan. 8. The next three games on the schedule for Boston — against the Miami Heat on Jan. 10, against the Chicago Bulls two days later, and versus the Magic the following day — were postponed because seven players were sidelined while waiting for the results of COVID-19 testing and contact tracing.

The Celtics woke up Friday expecting to have just the minimum eight players available, but four others were cleared to play by the opening tip. All 12 players in uniform ended up playing and scoring, as Boston shook off the rust and maintained its Eastern Conference-best record by recording its most lopsided win of the season.

“We missed each other,” said Celtics guard Marcus Smart, who scored 14 points and was one of six Boston players to reach double figures.

“We missed being on that court. It was a unique night where everybody that usually doesn’t get to play or doesn’t get much time was able to go out there and showcase their talent and showcase everything they’ve been working on.”

The Knicks’ five-game losing streak has served as a reminder of how most of their seasons have unraveled since the team last made the playoffs in 2012-13. After opening the skid with three straight double-digit losses, New York needed a game-ending 14-2 run to pull within single digits in a 116-109 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday.

On Friday, the Knicks overcame a 12-point third-quarter deficit and led briefly in the fourth before ill-timed mistakes cost them a chance to take the lead in the waning minutes. With New York down 98-97 with 1:18 left, RJ Barrett turned the ball over and Julius Randle committed a clear path foul seconds later. The Cavaliers never led by fewer than three the rest of the way.

“It’s a tough one especially because we really played hard,” said Barrett, who scored 20 points in the loss.

“It’s over now. We have to learn from those little mistakes, move on, and try to get a win. I think we’re trying. We’re all putting in the work, fighting as much as we can. I think we’ll be all right.”

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NEW YORK vs INDIANA
When: 1/2/2021 7:05 PM
Where:

TV: 7:05 PM
LINE: -9
PREDICTION: INDIANA , NEW YORK

Oddsmakers currently have the INDIANA listed as -9 point favorites versus the NEW YORK, while the game’s total is sitting at 214.5.

It almost surely won’t take long for the New York Knicks to check off the first item on their list of New Year’s resolutions.

The Knicks will look to bounce back Saturday night from a historically rough shooting performance when they visit the Indiana Pacers in the second game of the season between the Eastern Conference rivals.

Both teams last played on New Year’s Eve, when the Knicks had their two-game winning streak snapped with a 100-83 loss to the Toronto Raptors in Tampa, Fla., and the Pacers beat the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers, 119-99, in a matinee.

While the Knicks played reasonably well on defense in limiting the Raptors to 41 percent shooting, New York did itself no favors by shooting a franchise record-low 8.3 percent (3-of-36) from 3-point land. The starting lineup was 0-for-23 from beyond the arc, marking the most misses by a starting lineup without a made 3-pointer in NBA history.

“We were in the game, but obviously going 3-for-36 from the 3-point line doesn’t help,” Knicks forward Julius Randle said. “I think it’ll be very rare for us to go 3-for-36 from the 3-point line. So we’ll be fine.”

The disastrous night from beyond the arc was especially surprising for the Knicks, who entered the game draining 45.8 percent (50-for-109) of their 3-pointers.

“I thought we got high-quality shots again tonight,” Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said. “I want to look at the film before I comment further on that. But yeah, that’s part of the NBA game.”

The Pacers were far more prolific from beyond the arc in their final game of 2020. Victor Oladipo hit a team-high four 3-pointers as Indiana shot a season-high 45.7 percent from 3-point land (16-of-35), its highest percentage since it shot 48.4 percent (15-of-31) against the San Antonio Spurs on March 2, 2020.

The strong performance from 3-point land highlighted a well-rounded offensive performance Thursday by the Pacers. Led by Domantas Sabonis, who earned Eastern Conference player of the week honors for the first week of the truncated 2020-21 campaign, six players scored in double digits for Indiana.

Sabonis produced his fifth double-double in as many games Thursday and actually flirted with a triple-double in finishing with 25 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists.

“Even though 2020 has been tough, find your triumph,” Oladipo said. “At the end of the day, we’re all blessed to see 2021.”

Both teams enter January at less than 100 percent. The Pacers announced Thursday that forward T.J. Warren (left foot stress fracture) will be out indefinitely after undergoing surgery. The Knicks had four guards sidelined Thursday — Alec Burks (left ankle), Frank Ntilikina (right knee), Immanuel Quickley (left hip) and Dennis Smith Jr. (left quad).

The trip to Indiana is the second this season for the Knicks, who fell to the Pacers, 121-107, in the opener for both clubs on Dec. 23.

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NEW YORK vs TORONTO
When: 12/31/2020 7:35 PM
Where:

TV: 7:35 PM
LINE: -8.5
PREDICTION: TORONTO , NEW YORK

Oddsmakers currently have the TORONTO listed as -8.5 point favorites versus the NEW YORK, while the game’s total is sitting at 217.

The New York Knicks go for their third straight victory Thursday night when they visit the temporary home of the winless Toronto Raptors at Tampa, Fla.

The Knicks, led by Julius Randle’s triple-double, defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 95-86 Tuesday night and have two wins in four games.

The Raptors have lost their first three games after falling to the Philadelphia 76ers 100-93 on Tuesday despite leading by 14 points in the second half. Toronto has not started a season so poorly since an 0-9 start in 2005-06.

The Raptors have won eight consecutive games against the Knicks.

Randle had 28 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists as the Knicks handed the Cavaliers their first loss in four games. It was his seventh career triple-double, his first with the Knicks.

Randle lost some weight to prepare for his second season with the Knicks, who started a four-game road trip Tuesday.

“They challenged me going into the offseason to come back a better player,” Randle said. “I’m going to put that pressure on myself as well to challenge myself and get better every year. Last year was a great learning experience for me. But this year I’m coming back a better player and came back in great shape. And that’s just part of the culture we’re building. We’re competing and not backing down from anybody.”

“I saw what type of shape he was in, so I knew he was highly motivated,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “I think that’s a big advantage for him. I also think he has a pretty good understanding of his teammates and what their strengths are. And he’s playing unselfishly.”

Elfrid Payton scored 10 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter Tuesday and added seven assists and eight rebounds in his second successive strong outing.

Reggie Bullock made five 3-pointers — the Knicks shot 56.0 percent (14 of 25) from beyond the arc — and finished with 17 points.

The Knicks continue to deal with injuries. Obi Toppin (calf), Austin Rivers (groin), Immanuel Quickley (hip), Dennis Smith Jr. (quad) and Alec Burks (ankle) were inactive on Tuesday.

The Raptors had another poor third quarter on Tuesday and failed to make big plays at key points in the fourth.

“We don’t have time to waste no more,” said Toronto guard Kyle Lowry, who scored 24 points Tuesday and added nine assists and eight rebounds. “We’re 0-3 and we need a win really, really, really bad, and I feel like we’re getting to that point where it’s a must-win. We’ve got to do everything we possibly can to win the next game (Thursday).”

Pascal Siakam, who was ineffective in the fourth quarter again, fouled out with about 25 seconds left and walked straight to the locker room area. He was missed 15 of his 23 shots in scoring 20 points.

“I didn’t see that, I’m sure I will hear about it,” Raptors coach Nick Nurse said. “I’ll address it when I get back in the locker room. I’m sure he was frustrated.”

Siakam committed five of his fouls in the final six minutes.

“He’s got to get a little stronger at the end of his drives,” Nurse said. “He’s got to play to make a tough finishing basket rather than playing for the possible foul.”

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NEW YORK vs CLEVELAND
When: 12/29/2020 7:05 PM
Where:

TV: 7:05 PM
LINE: -3.5
PREDICTION: CLEVELAND , NEW YORK

Oddsmakers currently have the CLEVELAND listed as -3.5 point favorites versus the NEW YORK, while the game’s total is sitting at 217.5.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks have been in sync in all the wrong ways the past two seasons.

The two teams are again traveling parallel paths in the early days of the 2020-21 campaign, except this time they’re each trying to establish themselves as the NBA’s early surprise success story.

The Cavaliers and Knicks look to build upon the momentum generated by routs of Eastern Conference contenders when they meet Tuesday night in Ohio.

Both teams earned resounding home wins Sunday, when the Cavaliers remained perfect with a 118-94 win over the Philadelphia 76ers and the Knicks recorded their first victory of the season by stunning the Milwaukee Bucks, 130-110.

Such performances represent dramatic departures from recent norms for the Cavs and Knicks, who won 36 and 40 games, respectively, the previous two seasons combined — the lowest and second-lowest totals in the NBA. But such showings are providing evidence of the new cultures being built by head coaches J.B. Bickerstaff and Tom Thibodeau.

Under Bickerstaff — who replaced John Beilein on Feb. 19 and was signed to a long-term deal on March 10 — the Cavaliers have built their early surge with an unselfish offense and an aggressive defense. Cleveland leads the NBA with 31.3 assists and 12.7 steals per game after ranking 24th and 25th in those categories last season.

At 3-0, the Cavaliers have a chance to build their first four-game regular-season winning streak since a five-game streak from March 28 through April 5, 2018, which came at the end of LeBron James’ second stint with his hometown team.

“Credit to these guys for buying in,” Bickerstaff said Sunday night. “But when we put this together, we just feel like it’s the right way to play the game. It’s not something that’s unique or special by any means. But it’s the way the game should be played — trying to play the game as purely as you can. And that’s what the guys have bought into, playing agenda-less basketball.”

Thibodeau, a former Knicks assistant who later directed the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves as head coach, was hired by New York on July 30 to try to reverse the fortunes of a franchise that has lost an NBA-high 999 games since Jan. 1, 2000.

The Knicks led the Indiana Pacers by five points at halftime of Wednesday’s season opener and trailed the 76ers by five points Saturday night at the break, but were outscored by a combined 109-75 in the second half of those games.

Those fades made Sunday’s finishing kick particularly satisfying for New York, which led 61-45 at the half and opened the lead to as many as 28 before the Bucks emptied the bench early in the fourth quarter.

“I told the guys before the game — after watching the film, I felt better about how we played in that game (against Philadelphia),” Thibodeau said Sunday. “I can see the growth from the start, and to carry it over against a quality team like Milwaukee — we played well in the first half and today we carried it over and I thought we played well in the second half.”

Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love, who left after nine minutes due to a lingering calf injury, was scheduled to undergo an MRI Monday and has been ruled out for Tuesday. Knicks rookies Obi Toppin (right calf) and Immanuel Quickley (hip) each sat for a second straight game Sunday. Toppin is expected to miss the next 7-10 days, the team announced Monday.

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