The NBA is getting its fans amped for the start of the 2025-26 season, as we're seeing top teams matchup night after night. On Tuesday night, we’ve got a thrilling Eastern Conference matchup between the Knicks vs. Bucks, both of which were playoff teams last season.
Last year’s East No. 3 seed New York Knicks (2-1) led by Jalen Brunson will clash with last season’s No. 5 seed Milwaukee Bucks (2-1) and star Giannis Antetokounmpo at Fiserv Forum at 8 p.m. ET, live on NBC.
Below, we’ll break down our Knicks vs. Bucks prediction and player picks, including the top picks on PrizePicks real money NBA game, like Jalen Brunson and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Knicks vs. Bucks Prediction, Stats for Tuesday 10/28
The Knicks and Bucks finished in the top five in last year’s Eastern Conference. Milwaukee was bounced in the first round by the Pacers, while New York made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals before also being eliminated by Indiana.
Both teams have aspirations to return to the postseason, so this could turn into an exciting early-season matchup.
New York Knicks Preview vs. Bucks
- The Knicks had one of their best seasons this century, reaching the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since the 1999-00 season.
- That was not enough for former Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau to keep his job. New York replaced him with former Kings head coach Mike Brown.
- The Knicks are playing well early in the season, with wins over the Celtics and Cavaliers, and are fifth with a 5.8 adjusted net rating.
- The Knicks rank fifth in defensive rating, per NBA.com, at 105.6.
- The Knicks are top 10 in offensive rebound percentage and turnover percentage, winning where it counts.
Milwaukee Bucks Preview
- The Bucks will have one significant change to their lineup this season. PG Damian Lillard suffered an Achilles tear last year, which will force him to miss the entire season. He's now signed with the Portland Trail Blazers.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo has two NBA MVPs, but has not won one in the last five seasons. He’s having a great start, as his 36.0 points per game lead the league, while his 16.0 rebounds are second.
- Even with a good 2-1 record, Milwaukee has been average overall with a 1.1 adjusted net rating (14th).
- The Bucks strong defensive rebounding (3rd, 59.7%) in 2025, matches up well with Knicks strong performance on the offensive glass.
- The Bucks are ninth in the NBA in pace (104.8), which means a slight pace up game for the Knicks here.
Knicks vs. Bucks Picks for PrizePicks Today
Here are the top Knicks vs. Bucks picks to target on PrizePicks tonight, Tuesday, October 28. Use this analysis to help make your NBA predictions today, or use our NBA DFS Cheat Sheet to help build your Lineup
Knicks PG Jalen Brunson vs. Bucks Projection: 27.5 Points
- Brunson has scored 30 points in back-to-back games.
- The former Villanova guard’s 30.3 points to start the season rank ninth in the NBA.
- In the last matchup against the Bucks, Brunson scored 44 points in a 140-109 win.
- So far this years, Brunson's usage has ticked up from 31.1% last year to 32.6% in 2025.
- Brunson’s 18.8 on-court efficiency differential ranks eighth.
Bucks F Giannis Antetokounmpo vs. Knicks Projection: 43.5 Pts+Reb
- Giannis Antetokounmpo's 51.5 Pts+Rebs+Asts projection is discounted to 46.5 on PrizePicks for Taco Tuesday —only until 3:30 p.m. ET.
- Giannis has more than 50 pts+reb in all three games this season.
- Last season, Antetokounmpo had more than 43 pts+reb in just 44.4% of games (32-of-72) in the 2024-25 season.
- The Greek Freak has less than 40 pts+reb in three games against the Knicks last season.
- The Knicks are fifth in adjusted defensive rating (111.5).
- New York is allowing the fourth-fewest points (20.6) and sixth-fewest rebounds (10.0) to power forwards.
Knicks C/PF Karl-Anthony Towns: 36.5 Pts+Reb+Ast
- Karl-Anthony Towns has more than 36 pts+reb+ast in one of three games this season.
- Towns had more than 36 pts+reb+ast in 68.8% (33-48) of his games on the road last season.
- KAT averaged 25.3 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists against Milwaukee last season and had more than 36 pts+reb+ast in two of three head-to-head matchups.
- The Bucks are allowing 14.6 rebounds per game to centers, which ranks 20th.
- Towns is in the 93rd percentile with the Knicks averaging +7.0 points per 100 possessions differential when he is on the court.
Make NBA Picks on PrizePicks
On Tuesday, the NBA has a small five-game slate, but it includes some exciting matchups. One of the premier games features Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks taking on Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks.
In a matchup that features two playoff teams, there are plenty of options to make your NBA picks on PrizePicks. Just pick More or Less on NBA player projections and win money if you're right — the more you pick, the more you can win!
Check out the Playbook for more NBA DFS picks and analysis all the way through the season.
