The Bucks reportedly will play on Christmas Day for the sixth straight season
It appears that the Milwaukee Bucks will play their sixth straight Christmas Day game, returning to New York City to face the Knicks.
Though the full NBA schedule has yet to be released, The Athletic reported late Thursday the Bucks would return to New York and Madison Square Garden for a holiday matinee for the first time since a 109-95 victory in 2018. That season began the current streak of Christmas Day games for the Bucks, which was Giannis Antetokounmpo’s first on that stage.
He scored 30 points, pulled down 14 rebounds came up with four steals and had two blocks in the win over the Knicks, one of many highlight games on his path toward winning his first most valuable player award.
This season will be Milwaukee’s 10th appearance on one of the league’s showcase dates, with its first coming in 1968 against Detroit. The Bucks are 5-4 all-time on the holiday. They team did not appear on Christmas Day from 1978-2017.
New York meanwhile, will be making its 55th appearance on the holiday. The Knicks, who played in the first Christmas Day game in 1947, have a 23-31 record.
Bucks Christmas Day game history
1968: Detroit 119, Milwaukee 1131971: Detroit 120, Milwaukee 1181972: Milwaukee 104, Kansas City-Omaha 991977: Milwaukee 131, Kansas City 1222018: Milwaukee 109, New York 952019: Philadelphia 121, Milwaukee 1092020: Milwaukee 138, Golden State 992021: Milwaukee 117, Boston 1132022: Boston 139, Milwaukee 118
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Bucks will play at New York Knicks on Christmas Day, report says