NEW YORK — The New York Knicks turned Madison Square Garden into a showcase on Tuesday night, routing the Milwaukee Bucks 117-85 behind another dominant night from Karl-Anthony Towns. Towns had 21 points and 16 rebounds, his 14th straight regular-season double-double, a streak stretching back to April 1. The defending NBA champions won for the sixth time in seven games after an 0-3 start, while Milwaukee lost its seventh straight and fell to 1-10, its worst start since the 1993-94 season. New York led 58-34 at halftime.

Key Points

• Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points and 16 rebounds, his 14th straight regular-season double-double dating back to April 1.
• Jalen Brunson scored a team-high 23 points, OG Anunoby added 19, Tyler Kolek had 12 off the bench and Landry Shamet scored 10.
• The Knicks outscored the Bucks 32-13 in both the second and fourth quarters on the way to the 117-85 win.
• Milwaukee fell to 1-10, its worst start since 1993-94, with eight of its 10 losses coming by at least 10 points.

What Happened

Milwaukee held a handful of small leads in the first quarter, but the game turned when Landry Shamet hit a three-pointer with 3:31 left to give New York the lead for good at 18-16, to close the period ahead 26-21. The second quarter belonged entirely to the home team: Tyler Kolek buried a three-pointer with 8:43 left in the half to push the Knicks ahead by double digits for good at 34-23, and OG Anunoby closed the half with a three of his own, sending New York into the locker room up 58-34 after a 32-13 quarter that broke the game open.

The Bucks did not fold, outscoring New York 38-27 in the third quarter and pulling within 11 at 85-74 when Jaime Jaquez Jr. fed Kel'el Ware for an alley-oop to open the fourth. For a moment, a comeback felt possible. It lasted about two minutes: Towns and Kolek combined to score the first 14 points of a 20-2 run, and the Knicks led by at least 23 the rest of the way. Dadiet and Knecht closed the game with eight unanswered points.

Background: A Champion Finding Its Rhythm

Context matters for this result, because the Knicks did not begin the season looking like champions. New York opened the campaign 0-3, and the early losses raised fair questions about whether the defending champions could recapture the form that carried them to the title. Those questions have faded fast: Tuesday's win was the Knicks' sixth in seven games, a run that has turned a worrying start into a distant memory.

The turnaround has been built on balance and depth. Brunson remains the engine, but the Knicks are winning in different ways on different nights. Against Milwaukee, five players reached double figures, Andre Drummond pulled down 14 rebounds off the bench, and the second unit kept the pressure on when the starters rested. Milwaukee, meanwhile, is moving the other way: seven straight losses and a 1-10 record, the franchise's worst start in more than three decades.

Knicks Rout Bucks 117-85: Towns' Streak Powers the Blowout

The headline number from Tuesday night belongs to Karl-Anthony Towns. His 21 points and 16 rebounds extended his season-opening double-double streak to 14 games, and his run of regular-season double-doubles now dates back to April 1. That consistency is the foundation of everything New York does: when Towns controls the glass and scores efficiently, the Knicks are extremely difficult to beat.

Towns' value showed up in the game's decisive stretch. When Milwaukee cut the deficit to 11 early in the fourth quarter and the Garden crowd grew nervous, it was Towns who steadied the Knicks, scoring as part of the 20-2 run that ended the contest as a competition. He did not need a 40-point night to dominate; he needed to be reliable, physical and present on every possession, and he was.

Reactions and Takeaways

The numbers tell a clear story about where both teams stand. For New York, the takeaway is depth: Brunson's 23 points led the way, Anunoby added 19, Kolek scored 12 off the bench and Shamet chipped in 10, while Drummond's 14 rebounds gave the Knicks a second unit that could extend leads instead of surrendering them.

For Milwaukee, the takeaway is harder to swallow. Jaquez led the Bucks with 16 points and Rollins scored 14, but no Buck could slow the Knicks' runs when the game turned. The Bucks' third-quarter push showed fight, but the 32-13 fourth quarter showed the gap between the two teams right now.

Why It Matters

This game matters because it confirms the Knicks' recovery is real. An 0-3 start can be a blip or a warning, and six wins in seven games answers that question firmly in New York's favour. The defending champions are not just winning; they are winning by wide margins, with different players stepping forward and the bench contributing in meaningful ways.

It matters for Milwaukee, too, and for the wrong reasons. A 1-10 start, the franchise's worst in over 30 years, puts enormous pressure on a team that expected to compete. Seven straight losses and eight double-digit defeats suggest problems that go beyond a cold shooting stretch, and the Bucks now face the difficult task of stopping a slide before it defines their season.

What Happens Next

The Knicks will look to extend their strong run in their next outing, carrying the momentum of six wins in seven games and a home crowd that is fully behind them again. The challenge now is consistency: sustaining this level of play, keeping Towns' streak alive and staying healthy through the long grind of the regular season.

Milwaukee faces a more urgent task. The Bucks need a win, any win, to stop the slide and restore some belief in the locker room. With the losses piling up and the margins growing, the next game becomes a test of character as much as basketball.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the final score of Knicks vs Bucks?
The New York Knicks beat the Milwaukee Bucks 117-85 on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at Madison Square Garden.

How many points and rebounds did Karl-Anthony Towns have?
Towns finished with 21 points and 16 rebounds, his 14th consecutive regular-season double-double, a streak dating back to April 1.

Who led the Knicks in scoring?
Jalen Brunson, with 23 points. OG Anunoby added 19 and Towns had 21.

What is the Bucks' record after the loss?
Milwaukee fell to 1-10 after its seventh straight loss, the franchise's worst start since the 1993-94 season.

How did the Knicks turn the game into a rout?
New York won the second and fourth quarters 32-13 each, including a 20-2 run in the fourth after the Bucks had closed within 11.

Read more: Knicks beat Nets 103-90 as fourth-quarter surge extends rivalry win streak | Warriors rout Heat 120-100 as Curry scores 29 and Suns top Magic 117-104 | Wembanyama's career-high 52 points lift Spurs past Mavericks 112-111 in thriller