Losing at Boston, Dallas and San Antonio is one thing. Dropping a key midseason game at Milwaukee, where the Bucks had only won twice in its last nine home games, is another.

With low post defenders Tyson Chandler and Jared Jeffries missing because of injury, the Knicks defense continued to wallow, allowing a slew of easy, often uncontested shots in the Milwaukee Bucks’ 119-114 victory on Friday night.

Knicks Coach Mike D’Antoni had lamented the loss of Chandler and Jeffries after a loss at San Antonio on Wednesday night, saying they were key to the team’s defense.

The defensive malaise continued against the Bucks, a team that was averaging only 95.6 points.

The Knicks allowed Milwaukee to get uncontested jumpers and easy layups repeatedly. It led to the Knicks fourth consecutive loss, and pulled the Bucks within two games of the Knicks for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

林书豪甜瓜矛盾凸显难共存 安东尼抱怨失控球权>>>

Ersan Ilyasova scored 5 points in the final minute en route to a team-high 26 points. Brandon Jennings added 25 points and 10 assists, and Mike Dunleavy scored 25 for the Bucks.

Amar’e Stoudemire scored 27 points but was called for traveling in the closing seconds with the Knicks trailing, 116-113.

Carmelo Anthony finished with 22 points, but only 7 after halftime. Jeremy Lin scored 20 points.

The game had some significance to the Eastern Conference playoff picture. The Knicks came into the game holding on to the No. 8 playoff spot in the East, with the Bucks three games behind. Milwaukee's win cuts the deficit to two.

【NBA快讯】尼克斯又输球了!北京时间3月10日,纽约尼克斯客场以114-119不敌密尔沃基雄鹿。林书豪此役拿下了20分13次助攻4次抢断,但两双表现仍然难救主,尼克斯遭遇四连败。小甜瓜安东尼拿到21分,但在最后时刻的关键球不中。雄鹿方面三人得分20+,用强势表现拒绝大逆转。

此役有望改变目前东部的格局。尼克斯目前居东部第八,而紧跟在他们身后的就是雄鹿,雄鹿当然希望通过直接交锋缩小差距。双方一直杀到最后时刻才分出胜负。此役过后尼克斯取得18胜22负,在东部排名第八位;而雄鹿则取得16胜24负,在东部超过骑士排在第九位。

此战之前尼克斯连续与强队交锋均落马,先后输给波士顿凯尔特人、达拉斯小牛与圣安东尼奥马刺队。此战遭遇此前表现主场低迷的雄鹿,尼克斯未能挽回颓势,林书豪与小斯和安东尼的优秀表现还是没有办法阻止球队一直输球的状态。