Knicks Vs Bucks — knicks vs bucks Preview, Odds and Picks for Feb. 27
Friday's knicks vs bucks meeting at Fiserv Forum on February 27, 2026 pits the 37-22 New York Knicks against the 26-31 Milwaukee Bucks in a game with playoff implications on both ends: New York enters as an 8. 5-point favorite and Milwaukee arrives on an extended run with key players missing. How the teams handle frontcourt matchups and the injury lists will likely decide the outcome.
Injury report and roster availability
Milwaukee will be without Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) and Taurean Prince (neck). New York will be missing Miles McBride (core). Milwaukee's recent surge — eight wins in its last 10 — has largely come in games without Giannis available, making these absences a central storyline for the contest at Fiserv Forum.
Odds, spread and prediction — Knicks Vs Bucks
The Knicks are listed as a solid 8. 5-point favorite for this Friday contest, with the game total set at 218. 5. Betting models in the context give an ATS nod to the Bucks (+8. 5) while the over/under pick is Over (218. 5). A straight score projection offered in the coverage calls for Knicks 116, Bucks 112. The game page notes it may contain affiliate links and may receive compensation; the write-up was created with automated technology and third-party data.
Bucks’ recent surge built on Porter Jr., Rollins and Jericho Sims
Milwaukee has won eight of its last 10 games. The club lost handily to the Raptors most recently but responded by beating the Heat and the Cavaliers on a back-to-back. That return to winning has been driven in large part by three contributors: Kevin Porter Jr., Ryan Rollins and Jericho Sims. Over that back-to-back, the Porter–Rollins pairing combined for 91 points and 26 assists while also creating for teammates; Porter in particular has done a good job keeping turnovers down. Sims has made his impact as a defender and rebounder rather than a box-score stuffer: he posted 10 offensive rebounds in the last three games, and Milwaukee ranks fifth in defensive rebounding percentage and 15th in offensive rebounding percentage over the past 10 games.
Knicks form, streaks and the tied season series
New York has been uneven, going. 500 over its last eight games. In that span the Knicks lost to the Pacers, nearly lost to the Bulls, beat the Rockets after Houston "crapped the bed up 18 in the fourth, " and were annihilated twice by the Pistons and once by the Cavaliers. Over those eight games the Knicks sit with the 15th-best net rating. That rough patch followed an eight-game winning run that itself came after an earlier horror stretch, illustrating the team's volatile floor and ceiling. The season series between these teams is tied at one game apiece: Milwaukee won the first meeting four games into the season and New York took the most recent clash. New York enters this game with two days of rest and will return home with an early Sunday meeting against San Antonio on the schedule; tip-off is listed for 8: 00 p. m. ET.
Frontcourt matchup to watch: Jericho Sims vs Mitchell Robinson
Much of this game will be decided on the glass and around the rim. Jericho Sims, who has been a rebounding and defensive force for Milwaukee, will be matched against Mitchell Robinson. Sims has been credited with a measurable defensive impact and is seen as a reasonable matchup to cover pick-and-pop actions from Karl-Anthony Towns — perhaps a better fit for that specific task than Myles Turner. Given the rebounding numbers and recent form on both sides, the frontcourt battle figures to be a determinative element in whether the Bucks can extend their run or the Knicks can reassert control.
Game-thread notes and stakes
The matchup carries short-term stakes: Milwaukee is eager to complete what would be its third three-game win streak of the season, and the Knicks will want to protect home-court momentum and steady their inconsistency. A public game thread attached to the matchup asks participants not to post large photos, GIFs, or links to illegal streams and urges readers to "Mind your manners. And go Knicks!" Today also begins a four-game stretch against East playoff teams for Milwaukee, underscoring the urgency of a positive result in this February matchup.
