The New York Knicks faced the Milwaukee Bucks in their first In-Season Tournament game of the 2023-24 season. Jalen Brunson exploded with 45 points while Julius Randle ended the game with a double-double.

However, the Knicks lost by five points. Head coach Tom Thibodeau bluntly addressed a late-game mistake in a postgame interview.

Tom Thibodeau wants the Knicks to trust their ball movement

Thibodeau had one simple request for his team: “Trust the pass,” per Fred Katz. The veteran coach wants his players to move the ball on key possessions. His comments likely stem from the Knicks' play within the last 30 seconds of the game.

New York trailed for most of the matchup but was able to take the lead against the Bucks with one minute remaining. Of course, Milwaukee responded, and the Knicks had a chance to score down four points with 20 seconds left.

Julius Randle did a series of dribble moves and drove in to try to score but was denied at the rim by Brook Lopez. The Bucks made free throws to seal their win.

Randle's aggression was part of the reason New York stayed in the game. However, the Knicks did well when he proactively moved the ball. In the end, Damian Lillard's 30 points and clutch shot-making were too much for New York to handle.

All is not lost for the Knicks, who still have plenty of first-round In-Season Tournament matchups left. Brunson's scoring eruption is a good sign for his team after their slow start to the season. New York next plays the Los Angeles Clippers in a cross-conference matchup.