MILWAUKEE — The Knicks hit their first 11 shots last night and were still down two points by the end of the first quarter.
That says everything about the state of the Knicks’ putrid defense and inability to deliver a knockout blow at the beginning and end. They have forgotten how to win — even when Jeremy Lin electrifies the Bradley Center crowd with a 20-point, 8-of-14, 13-assist command performance.
Without Tyson Chandler (hamstring) for the second straight game, the Knicks were both exciting on offense and pitiful on the defensive end and Carmelo Anthony went cold after a brilliant start, failing to deliver in the clutch.
It all amounted to another loss last night as the Bucks hung on for a 119-114 victory at Bradley Center. The Knicks finished their road trip winless at 0-4, falling to 17-21 and clueless on how to win anymore.
“We came out that first quarter shooting 70 percent and we looked up at the scoreboard down two points (36-34),’’ Anthony said. “It was kind of deflating. We’re not too concerned about the offense right now. We got to tighten up on the ‘D.’ ”
After a vibrant 4 for 4 start in the first quarter, Anthony made just 3 of 14 the rest of the night and missed a key free throw with 10.8 seconds left and the Knicks down three. Anthony finished with 22 points on 7 of 17 shooting as the Knicks fell to 2-6 since his return from injury.
But the Knicks played with spirit, if not good enough, and they got a couple of bad breaks in the final minute.
“It was not a lack of energy or heart or will,’’ said Lin, who heard loud cheers on every one of his buckets. “They just came out with a win and played better than us. I think looking back we played extremely hard and moved the ball.’’
In February, during a 15-game stretch when the Knicks were 10-5, they gave up 93 points per game. Over their last five games — five losses and all with Anthony — they are allowing 110 ppg. One night after allowing 117 in San Antonio, the Bucks topped it.
The Knicks were trailing 108-93 with 7:29 left when they embarked on a ferocious 12-0 run, partly with Lin and Baron Davis sharing the backcourt. It looked sweet.
When Anthony scored on a drive, the Knicks closed to 114-113 with 52.7 seconds left. Then they died.
”Coming back from down 15, you use so much energy and toward the end of the game, we have to dig deeper and win the game and just right now we don’t have the energy to win basketball games which we have to find,’’ Anthony said.
Without Chandler clearing rebounds, the Bucks scored off a busted possession. Lin played great defense on Brandon Jennings, forcing him into a wild heave that missed. But Amar’e Stoudemire (27 points, 11 of 15) lost sight of the rebound and Ilyasova (26 points) grabbed it in a scramble and laid it in to make it 116-113 with 28.7 seconds left.
“That was the needle that knocked the air out of the balloon,’’ Anthony said. “We played great defense, and it comes down to the offensive putback.’’
Stoudemire then got called for traveling after catching an errant pass in the lane from Lin, bobbling it and getting the violation with 23 seconds left. But the Knicks got another chance when the Bucks were called for a five-second violation on the inbounds.
Anthony drove and was fouled on a dunk attempt, but the ball caromed out with 10.8 seconds left. He went to the line and missed the costly first one before making the second, bringing the Knicks within 116-114. Jennings (25 points) got fouled with 9.7 seconds left to ice it.
On the inbounds, Jennings got fouled immediately and he made both free throws with 9.7 seconds left, putting the Bucks up 118-114. The Knicks could no longer tie with a 3-point basket. Steve Novak, playing in his hometown, missed an off-balance 3-pointer on the inbounds with 4.7 seconds left.
Anthony was a powerhouse early, hitting his first four shots, scoring on his first passion draining a 18-foot jumper as true as wind. But again he wasn’t defending well enough and Mike Dunleavy scored 14 points in the quarter, making 6 of 7 buckets.