Giannis Antetokounmpo powered Milwaukee to a 121-111 win over the New York Knicks at Fiserv Forum, delivering 37 points on 16-of-22 shooting in 33 minutes, along with eight rebounds, seven assists, and two blocks. The Bucks improved to 3-1, responding after a loss two days earlier and ending a five-game losing streak to New York that included last season’s postseason sweep.
Milwaukee surged in the third quarter. Antetokounmpo blocked a shot, ran the floor, collected a missed floater from Gary Trent Jr., and dunked over Karl-Anthony Towns. Knicks head coach Mike Brown called timeout as the crowd reacted. Antetokounmpo shouted toward fans, “This is my city!” then followed with, “I ain’t f**ing leaving you.”* As he walked to the bench, he added, “I love when it’s tough; I thrive when it’s tough. When you make it tough, I thrive.”
The Bucks trailed by three before that sequence. By the end of the quarter, Antetokounmpo had recorded 14 points and four assists, and Milwaukee controlled the game. The win ended a five-game losing streak to New York, which had swept the Bucks in last year’s postseason and beaten them by an average of 21.7 points across three regular-season matchups.
- Giannis scored 37 points on 16-of-22 shooting in 33 minutes as the Bucks beat the Knicks 121-111 and moved to 3-1.
- He loudly backed Milwaukee, yelling “This is my city” and “I ain’t f*ing leaving you”**, even as Knicks trade rumors swirled.
- Antetokounmpo acknowledged extra motivation because New York swept Milwaukee last postseason, beating them by 21.7 points per game across five straight wins.
Giannis Responds to Knicks Rumors
After the game, Antetokounmpo addressed reports suggesting he would prefer New York as a trade destination. When asked by The New York Post, he said he was unaware of the story. “Who said that? I’m here representing my team. And that’s it. We beat the Knicks. I didn’t read that article, try to stay away from all the rumors.”
He repeated his focus on Milwaukee’s upcoming schedule. “What matters right now is we have a game in two days against Golden State, try to stay locked in and get two in a row. But I didn’t read that article. I try to stay away from all that rumors and speculation and trades. It doesn’t concern me one bit. I try to involve myself and I try to help my team win games.”
Antetokounmpo also admitted that facing New York meant more because the Knicks had swept the Bucks the previous season and won easily. He remembered that result and wanted to set the tone early. He reminded his teammates about last year’s losses, including losses to Cleveland, and wanted the team to respond with a higher level of effort and toughness this time.
Sportsbooks Adjust Odds After Milwaukee’s Win
Antetokounmpo’s performance affected both immediate and long-term betting markets. Before Tuesday’s game, the Knicks closed around -2 with a total near 229.5. Following Milwaukee’s win, opening odds for Thursday’s matchup against Golden State showed the Bucks as slight underdogs, but the line moved from Warriors -1.5 to -2.5 across major sportsbooks. The total settled near 231.5, and Milwaukee’s moneyline was priced around +125. The shift represented a modest lean toward Golden State rather than any adjustment tied to Antetokounmpo’s availability; he was listed as probable with left knee soreness.
Player props continued to rate him among the league’s most productive stars. His points line for the Golden State game was set around Over 30.5, with analysts favoring the over. Earlier in the week, he held one of the highest combined points-rebounds-assists marks on the board at approximately 51.5.
In futures markets, the Bucks remain long shots to win the championship at roughly +6000 after opening closer to +4000. Antetokounmpo’s MVP odds sit near +1200, trailing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokić, Victor Wembanyama, and Luka Dončić in most books. Despite offseason trade speculation, betting markets continue to price Milwaukee around its star player, treating his consistency as the franchise’s foundation.
A Focus on the Next Game
Antetokounmpo said his mindset after the previous loss was centered on building momentum. “Leaving [Sunday’s loss], my mindset was, OK, in order for us to take the next step and be able to compete with the best teams in the NBA, we can’t lose two in a row. We knew it was going to be a challenge and we were ready to accept that challenge and come here and try to win the game. … In order to be one of the top teams in the East, we have to beat those teams. Last year, the Knicks didn’t just sweep us, they really beat us. And this year is totally different.”
