Clarence who?

That was the message from Mario Hezonja after former Knicks executive Clarence Gaines Jr. ripped the small forward's defense on Twitter prior to Monday night's 124-113 loss to the Bucks.

Hezonja said he was unaware of the criticism, which he answered (unknowingly, of course) with a strong, 18-point performance while going up against Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo.

"I don't know who Gaines is,'' Hezonja said, per the New York Post.

MILWAUKEE (AP) Giannis Antetokounmpo had 31 points and 15 assists, Khris Middleton sank a pair of late 3-pointers and the Milwaukee Bucks survived a furious second-half rally by New York to hold off the Knicks 124-113 on Monday night.

Middleton was efficient in scoring 30 points, going 7 of 8 from 3-point range. Antetokounmpo only had one 3, but it came in a big spot, giving unbeaten Milwaukee the lead for good midway through the fourth period.

Tim Hardaway Jr. led the Knicks with 24 points. Trey Burke added 19 and Mario Hezonja had 18.

MILWAUKEE -- It's only been two games, too small a sample size to observe wholesale changes in the Milwaukee Bucks under new head coach Mike Budenholzer's system.

Knicks head coach David Fizdale told reporters Monday that he would be happy if Kevin Knox missed only two weeks due to his left ankle sprain. 

Knox is not with the team on their upcoming two-game road trip, and will be re-evaluated this Sunday. 

The Knicks face the Bucks in Milwaukee on Monday night before playing the Heat in Miami on Wednesday. They return home to face the Warriors on Friday night and then host the Nets on Monday, Oct. 29.

The first couple times Kevin Knox drove in New York, he got a ticket because he didn't know where to park. 

It was just one of many adjustments the Knicks rookie forward has had to make while living in New York. 

The 19-year-old dished on his new life in the city and with the Knicks in an upcoming Showtime documentary this Sunday, which was teased with a preview by The Players' Tribune on Monday. 

Celtics guard Kyrie Irving said after Saturday's game that he considered signing with the Knicks before deciding to resign with the Celtics after this season, reports Ian Begley of ESPN.

"I mean, every team was under consideration but obviously New York held a special place for me," Irving said "Just being from (New) Jersey and obviously envisioning myself as a free agent and ultimately taking a meeting and playing for (Knicks head coach David Fizdale) and a great young core that they have here. Thinking about playing with (Kristaps Porzingis). That was a big thing before I made my decision just to ... plan on re-signing back with Boston. But yeah of course New York was a strong consideration."

And while some Knicks fans are hoping they can still lure him to Madison Square Garden, the 26-year-old recently stated his desire to stay with the Celtics moving forward. Irving explained on Saturday that others in his shoes would realize that staying in Boston is "an easy decision" because of the way he said the team is built for the future.

Jake Brown | Twitter |

Two straight nights the Knicks had a chance to at least send the game to overtime and they fell short. Last night, they let Caris LeVert drive to the hoop and score the game-winning bucket with a second left. Tonight, Trey Burke had the chance to tie the game as he was fouled in the act of shooting a 35-foot three-pointer and he choked on the first free throw.

The Knicks mounted a rally in the final moments, but they ran out of time as the Celtics held on to win, 103-101. >> Box Score

Things you need to know about tonight's game...

1) Every time the Knicks fell behind, they stormed back -- and that's exactly what happened in the final quarter when they scored 31 points. Trey Burke made a layup with 10 seconds remaining to trim Boston's lead to one point, but Jayson Tatum subsequently hit both of his free throws to put the Celtics ahead for good.

After the Knicks lost to the Nets on Friday night, Tim Hardaway Jr. took responsibility for his role in the defeat -- and in doing so, he caught the attention of coach David Fizdale.

The 26-year-old Hardaway Jr. said he shot too much and acknowledged that he could have done a better job of defended Caris LeVert on the decisive game-clinching layup. Hardaway Jr. noted that LeVert kept going to the right and that he should have made the necessary adjustment.

Fizdale praised Hardaway Jr. for his accountability, even if he didn't necessarily think Hardaway Jr. was all to blame.

Coming off a tough loss to crosstown-rival Brooklyn on Friday night, the Knicks don't get a layover as they return home Saturday for another matchup. And even tougher is their opponent in the Boston Celtics. 

Boston is also playing a back-to-back, having lost to the Raptors on the road last night. But they are still a favorite in the Eastern Conference with a loaded team full of young and veteran stars. 

One of those stars just so happens to be the youngest player on their team in SF Jayson Tatum. As a 19-year-old, Tatum burst onto the scene last year, averaging 16.3 points, 5.9 boards, and 1.9 assists per game on his way to a First-Team All-Rookie selection by the end of the regular season. He was even better in the postseason with 18.5 points per game on 47.1 percent shooting. 

NEW YORK -- A day after losing a heartbreaker to the Brooklyn Nets, the New York Knicks host one of the Eastern Conference favorites as the Boston Celtics travel to Madison Square Garden on Saturday night.

Caris LeVert dropped in a layup with one second left in the game, two of his career-high 28 points, and New York took a 107-105 loss at Barclays Center on Friday night. A Tim Hardaway Jr. fadeaway 3-point attempt clanked off the backboard and the Knicks dropped their first game of the season, after blitzing the Atlanta Hawks in a 126-107 win on Wednesday in new head coach David Fizdale's first win with the team.

"(LeVert) is a good player, an explosive athlete," Fizdale said after the loss. "He can really put the ball on the floor and his three-ball has improved tremendously. That kid can play, man. I think he's going to have a breakout year this year." >> Read More

Kyrie Irving is tired of hearing about himself and the Knicks. 

Two weeks ago, the Celtics point guard shot down the speculation that he would head to New York as a free agent next year, but he and the Celtics will step foot in Madison Square Garden on Saturday night and the 26-year-old is likely to hear more about it -- whether it is from the media or the fans. 

Irving, however, does not care and does not understand why anyone would. 

Knicks C Enes Kanter is a man of many interests, but one of his deepest passions lies in professional wrestling. As VICE's Michael Pina uncovered in a recent profile of the Knicks center, Kanter actually aspires to work in a ring one day using his connections with Vince McMahon, Paul Heyman, and some current WWE Superstars.

Considering a leap from the NBA to WWE is something that's yet to be done -- although plenty of NFL-ers have made the transition -- I had to inquire further with Kanter, and dig into his background with the product.

The interview below has been edited lightly for clarity...

NEW YORK -- Well, I think that was more fun than most people expected! The Nets topped the Knicks 107-105 on Friday night in what was a thrilling home opener, decided by a Caris LeVert lay-in with just one second left.

It was a disappointing last few seconds for the Knicks, and a game which saw some bad defensive mistakes, but New York's two neophytes had good showings which is really all that matters. With that, some thoughts...

Caris LeVert scored on a game-winning layup in the final seconds to lead the Nets to a 107-105 win over the Knicks on Friday night at Barclays Center. >> Box Score

Things you need to know about tonight's game...

Shaquille O'Neal doesn't think the Knicks are going anywhere anytime soon -- or ever.

In an interview set to air on Saturday morning on FOX 5, Shaq was asked by Baruch Shemtov of FOX 5 whether the Knicks would ever win a championship.

NEW YORK -- These days, the rivalry between the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets can be defined by rebuilding projects and getting their respective rosters on the road to playoff contention.

Heading into the season, neither club is projected as a playoff team. Instead, they're hoping to continue rebuilding projects with an eye toward future success.

With getting wins among the focus of the rebuilding projects, the intracity rivals get together for the first time this season Friday when the Knicks visit the Nets.  >> Read More

Enes Kanter already has his life after basketball planned. 

He is going to join the WWE. 

The 26-year-old Knicks center spoke about his obsession for professional wrestling in a recent profile with Vice, in which he revealed he is already talking to WWE executives about becoming a wrestler. 

The Knicks couldn't be any happier to kick off their season on the right foot with a 126-107 win over the Hawks at The Garden on opening night. But they also know it's only Game 1, and there are 81 tough games left to go on their journey. 

Though improvements are expected, one aspect of the Knicks' game that flourished last night was their pace of play. The attention to getting out in transition was key in collecting quick buckets to rack up the score, especially in the second half.

Rookie guard Allonzo Trier said the execution of getting stops on defense and pushing the ball up quickly was exactly what the Knicks planned to do. And it worked...

Choo! Choo!

You hear that sound coming from West 33rd and 8th Ave? No, it's not the trains running through Penn Station. This locomotive, better known as the Knicks Hype Train, is chugglng along through Madison Square Garden after last night's 126-107 rout of the Hawks. 

And I know what you're thinking: The Hawks are probably the worst team in the league this season. Yeah, you're probably right. But who cares! The Knicks are rebuilding, have brand new faces to go along with a brand new coaching staff, and they put on a clinic...

When it comes to Knicks rookies, Kevin Knox and Mitchell Robinson -- their 2018 draft picks -- have gotten the most attention. But another name was added after Allonzo Trier erupted in the preseason and had a similar explosion during the Knicks' opening night win over the Hawks, which included a ferocious dunk.

Trier, the 6-foot-5 guard who went undrafted out of Arizona and who David Fizdale calls "Iso Zo," finished the night with 15 points, ripped down four rebounds and added two blocks. 

With Trier generating his own spotlight in the Big Apple, here are five things you didn't know about the Knicks' budding rookie...

NEW YORK -- The Knicks' unveiling of their shiny new lottery pick three years ago went a little bit differently.

It was in late October, against these same Atlanta Hawks, when 20-year-old Kristaps Porzingis made his home debut. The rookie added the first ever play to his highlight reel, shaking Paul Millsap with a spin move to throw down a breakaway dunk. This 7-foot-3 forward with guard skills, who was supposed to be a long-term project, announced to the arena, the city, and a national television audience that he was ready to contribute right away. Fans wouldn't have to wait to start enjoying Knicks games again and hyping the living daylights out of the team's future.

Tuesday night, in a 126-107 win, the Knicks' latest lottery pick delivered a new message to fans with his play: Chill...

David Fizdale and his young Knicks squad opened their 2018-19 season with a 126-107 rout of the Hawks on Wednesday night in The Garden. >> Box Score

Things you need to know about tonight's game...

1) Tim Hardaway Jr., despite being young, is expected to be a veteran leader this season. And that certainly showed with a 31-point, seven-rebound night to start his year. He also collected five assists and two steals on the night. 

While the Knicks are still shaking off some off-season rust, one special fan seems to be in midseason form.

A fan made a half-court shot at Madison Square Garden during the Knicks' season opener on Wednesday night. For making the shot, the fan won $10,000.

CLICK BELOW TO SEE THE VIDEO

Knicks President Steve Mills said on the Michael Kay Show that the team is happy with its decision not to extend Kristaps Porzingis before he is set to become a restricted free agent next summer.

The team will save $10 million next summer by not extending Porzingis, per Ian Begley of ESPN. Mills justified the team's decision by stressing the importance of building the right team around Porzingis to put him in a better position to succeed down the stretch.

"We believe it was the smart move," Mills explained. "But primarily because over the summer, Scott and I sat down with KP's brother (Janis Porzingis) and talked about the different options that we have in front of us as it related to his extension. We were clear that the best option to make the Knicks a better team long-term and have a better group of guys that KP can grow with long-term was to not do the extension at this point."

NEW YORK -- The David Fizdale era kicks off for the New York Knicks on Wednesday night as they open their season with a visit from the Atlanta Hawks at 7:30 p.m. at Madison Square Garden.

Of course, with the Knicks there is always drama, and that is no different as they set to open their season.

First, there was the jettisoning of longtime NBA vet Joakim Noah over the weekend. >> Read More

It may not be on the same pedestal of Magic vs. Larry, Wilt vs. Bill, or even Shaq vs. Kobe. But the rivalry between LeBron James and Enes Kanter is one that has gained some traction over the years. 

But, with James taking his talents this time to the Western Conference with the Lakers, Kanter won't be seeing his newfound rival that often. 

Though the Turkish big man will be sure to troll James on Twitter (as he does with the rest of the NBA), he will need to find a new arch nemesis out of the East. That enemy will need to possess James' confidence, star status, and most importantly, not back down from any trash talk -- both on and off the court...

Kevin Durant doesn't want to talk about free agency much, but he and those around him keep fanning the flames that he'll leave the Warriors after this season -- potentially for the Knicks.

On Wednesday morning, Durant's brother commented on Instagram about "filling the hand up before we get outta here" -- an apparent reference to Durant winning one more title with the Warriors before opting out of his contract.

Click below to see...

Kevin Knox has the support of at least one Knicks legend, even if it's one who still isn't on the best terms with the franchise.

Hours before opening night against the Hawks at Madison Square Garden, Charles Oakley tweeted his well-wishes for the Knicks rookie, who will surprisingly come off the bench in his NBA debut.  

"Good luck tonight @KevKnox," Oakley wrote. "Play hard and the Garden will love you. Rooting for you young fella. Bring the intensity! Starts on D!"

The 2018-19 season is going to be a transitional one for the Knicks.With a brand-new coach in David Fizdale and a highly touted rookie in Kevin Knox, there is plenty of reason for a long-suffering fanbase to be hopeful for the future. But there's also a lot of uncertainty.

Kristaps Porzingis is rehabbing a torn left ACL, and it remains to be seen when he'll play - or how good he'll look when he does. Second-year guard Frank Ntilikina showed promise in his rookie campaign, particularly on the defensive end of the floor, but he still has a long way to go.

After waiving Joakim Noah's onerous contract with the stretch provision, Scott Perry and Steve Mills will go into 2019 free agency armed with enough cap space to lure a big name. In the meantime, the Knicks can choose one of two paths: Go for broke and make a dark-horse playoff run, or embrace the tank for one more year and add to their collection of young players. Each approach would have its advantages and its drawbacks...

The Knicks are on the hook for the remaining $37.8 million on Joakim Noah's contract, but GM Scott Perry said the team is in better shape after waiving the big man rather than dealing him.

For months Perry failed to find a trade partner to take the 33-year-old Noah, who would not agree to a buyout with a Knicks after signing a four-year, $72 million contract with the team in 2016. The Knicks are instead using the stretch provision to lessen his annual cap hit, paying him $6.4 million annually through 2022, according to the New York Daily News.

And Perry said the trade market indicated he made the right choice.

The NBA season just started and the Kevin Durant free agency speculation is already in full swing.

And of course, the Knicks are involved. 

Durant appeared to like, then unlike, an Instagram post from the account @ballgod on the news that the Knicks were starting Frank Ntilikina over rookie Kevin Knox at small forward. 

The Knicks have their starting five set for Wednesday night's season opener against the Atlanta Hawks, but 2018 first-round pick Kevin Knox didn't make the cut.

On the court for tipoff at Madison Square Garden will be Enes Kanter, Lance Thomas, Tim Hardaway Jr., Trey Burke and Frank Ntilikina, according to Mike Vorukunov of The Athletic.

David Fizdale was planning to start Knox after Friday's preseason finale against the Brooklyn Nets, but the Knicks' rookie coach has surprisingly opted to start Ntilikina at small forward after reviewing film and data, Vorkunov reported.

The Knicks' season outlook may be as bleak as it gets, but one NBA expert predicts a star will descend upon New York in the summer of 2019.

And that player is Kevin Durant.

ESPN's Zach Lowe says neither the Warriors forward nor his buddies currently know what Durant wants to do, but he may be tempted to follow LeBron James' example and help revive a legendary franchise like the Knicks.

Though the Knicks have yet to set a definitive timetable for Kristaps Porzingis' return, the 23-year-old forward has impressed new head coach David Fizdale with how he's tried to help younger players in practice.

"He's been awesome to have in the gym," Fizdale said Monday. "It's like having another coach. The film sessions, he speaks up as much as any coach on our staff, and what he says is exactly what we need said."

Porzingis, who is entering his fourth season since being the No. 4 pick in 2015, will play under his fourth coach in as many years.

The Knicks exercised their third-year option for point guard Frank Ntilikina, the team announced on Monday. 

Ntilikina, 20, will make $4.9 million in the 2019-20 season after the move, which is a mere formality. 

While new head coach David Fizdale has not revealed who his starting point guard will be this season, Ntilikina is in the mix and figures to have a good chance.

Nobody is expecting the Knicks to be a playoff contender this season without Kristaps Porzingis, but prognosticators are predicting that things are going to be pretty bleak this season. 

Per FiveThirtyEight's CARMELO system, which factors each player's future performance based on trajectory of similar NBA players, the Knicks are expected to finish dead last in the league, with a 23-59 record and one percent chance of reaching the playoffs. 

It would mark the sixth straight season the Knicks fail to reach the playoffs, but the good news is that they could potentially land the No. 1 overall pick in next year's NBA draft.

Mario Hezonja is doing his best to be Mr. Nice Guy with the Knicks. 

The 23-year-old forward, whom the Knicks signed to a one-year, $6.5 million deal this summer, has had a quiet preseason but explains that it is because he is going out of his way to gain the trust and build chemistry with his new teammates. 

"It's not about me trying to show off immediately and do some crazy stuff," Hezonja told Marc Berman of the New York Post. "I'm being overly patient, trying to play for my teammates, trying to see who I fit with. It's a new kind of team. I don't want to be an a--hole to anybody. I'm just trying to figure out my own team. I know I can hold myself up easily. I was trying figure out the environment."

Courtney Lee is just hoping to help the Knicks in any way he can.

The veteran guard, who was finally able to practice at full speed Sunday, knows that missing the entire preseason with a strained neck doesn't help his chances of playing in Wednesday's opener against the Hawks. Though, coach David Fizdale called the 33-year-old's practice "very encouraging."

"I mean I missed the whole preseason, so it wouldn't be one of those things that if I didn't play I'd be bitter about it," Lee reportedly said after practice. "It's just being smart and cautious of the injury that I did have. If he does throw me out there I'll be ready."

Joakim Noah is no longer a New York Knick.

The team announced on Saturday that they are outright waiving the 33-year-old center, who had two years remaining on his deal. 

Because Noah would not agree to a buyout, the Knicks still owe him the remaining $37.8 million but can spread the money out into smaller cap hits over the next three years. 

The Knicks wrapped up their preseason schedule on Friday night, but their remains some mystery and intrigue heading into the regular season. 

Who will be the starting point guard?

Head coach David Fizdale said following Friday's 113-107 loss to the Nets that he is still unsure who will be given that role for the start of the regular season against the Hawks on Wednesday. Fizdale, in his first season as Knicks coach, had four different starters in five games at point guard, which consisted of Ron Baker, Frank Ntilikina, Trey Burke and Emmanual Mudiay. 

On the premiere of The Adventures of Coach Fiz, the new coach happily takes on all the things New York has to offer, except for one thing.

Knicks rookie Kevin Knox struggled down the stretch in his first NBA preseason, but coach David Fizdale believes the best way for the 19-year-old to grow and improve is to remain in the starting lineup.

"He's what we want to put in that spot and just let him go through the hell of it," he said after Friday night's game, per Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic.

Knox scored just three points and missed five of his six shots in the team's preseason finale on Friday night. He shot 2-for-9 on Monday but made all four of his free thows and grabbed five rebounds.

D'Angelo Russell scored a team-high 18 points and had seven assists to help carry his team to a 113-107 win over the Knicks in a preseason game on Friday night at Madison Square Garden. >> Box score

The Nets turned in a well-rounded effort, as Joe Harris and Spencer Dinwiddie each chipped in 16 points while Caris LeVert scored 12 points on four three-pointers.

The Knicks fell behind by 14 points at the end of the half, but fought back in the second half as they outscored the Nets in the fourth quarter by seven points. Tim Hardaway Jr. was leading his team in minutes and points when he left the game with a sprained wrist. He finished with 18 points in 26:02 minutes.

Knicks SG Tim Hardaway Jr. said he will be ready to play in the team's season opener on Wednesday after spraining his wrist in Friday night's final preseason bout against the Nets, per Ian Begley of ESPN.

Hardaway underwent an MRI, and Begley said it came back negative. He played 26 minutes, totaling 18 points and one rebound. 

The 26-year-old guard is expected to be one of the veteran leaders of this young Knicks squad this season, which means missing him in the season opener against the Hawks on Wednesday wouldn't be the ideal situation for New York. Hopefully rest over the weekend will allow him time to heal and get back on the court. 

Though Knicks head coach David Fizdale said Lance Thomas will be New York's starting power forward, he suggested second-year point guard Frank Ntilikina could also spend some time at the 3 or 4.

"You see Frank out there because he can guard 3s and 4s," Fizdale said, according to Newsday's Barbara Baker. "But most of the 4s now, how teams are playing, they're playing perimeter guys at that spot. Frank gives me so many options for having a ballhandler that can do multiple things and guard multiple people."

It's not just the fact the Knicks have so much depth at point guard with Emmanuel Mudiay, Trey Burke and Ron Baker (Fizdale said Baker will start Friday's preseason finale against the Brooklyn Nets), but how Ntilikina sizes up against other forwards.

Ron Baker and Enes Kanter took advantage of a special opportunity to dress up for Halloween on Wednesday when they visited local schools while donning Thor and Venom costumes.

Baker (Thor) and Kanter (Venom) were filmed walking into a classroom to "scare" children before greeting them and giving away 250 costumes.

Knicks star F Kristaps Porzingis is frustrated. 

The Latvian big man has been forced to watch along this entire preseason as his teammates get ready for the 2018-19 campaign. Porzingis is still rehabbing after his ACL surgery eight months ago, and though his progress hasn't hit a setback, he is growing tired of the same slow pace.

"He's feeling better every day, but it's still that frustrating slow drip for him," Fizdale told the Daily News' Stefan Bondy. 

Knicks rookie Mitchell Robinson (ankle) will make his return to the Knicks for their preseason finale on Friday night, head coach David Fizdale told reporters Wednesday.

Robinson had to be helped off the court last Wednesday night after spraining his right ankle during the second half of the game against the Nets. He did not return.

The injury happened when Robinson stepped on Rodions Kurucs' foot.