MILAN, WI (AP) – Throughout the game, Brook Lopez blocked shots on the other end of the court as Damian Lillard made clutch shots in the closing moments.

In the first game of the inaugural In-Season Tournament on Friday, the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the New York Knicks 110-105 behind 30 points and a game-winning 3-pointer from Lillard with 1:03 remaining. After receiving a pass from Giannis Antetokounmpo, who finished with 22 points, eight rebounds, and six assists, Lillard made his clutch basket.

Lillard, a two-time NBA MVP, said of himself and his new partner, “We’re trying to learn each other.” “We’re attempting to determine how we can complement one another and find what works for each other.”

Three points shy of his career high, New York guard Jalen Brunson scored 45 points, but the Bucks held strong.

With eight blocks, Lopez demonstrated the form that earned him the runner-up spot in the NBA defensive player of the year competition the previous season. In Milwaukee’s first four games, he had only managed two blocks as new Bucks coach Adrian Griffin experimented with alternative strategies that didn’t feature the seven-footer around the basket as frequently as normal.

This was altered on Friday when Lopez resumed using his rim protection. Griffin remarked following a 130-111 loss against Toronto on Wednesday, “sometimes as coaches, we are too smart for our own selves,” and he mentioned he changed his approach at the advice of a few players.

Griffin remarked, “I was wise enough to listen to them, and it paid off tonight.” There were many difficult 2s, but it was difficult because you had to give up something, like Brunson with his mid-range. However, it made it possible for us to defend the 3-point line from home. Brook completed the task. He was outstanding.

Lopez expressed gratitude to his new coach for being adaptable.

“I was obviously very grateful for that,” the 13-point scorer Lopez remarked. We have a lot of folks, in my opinion, who are excellent coaches. It’s wonderful to have a head coach that is prepared to discuss those issues and listen in that regard.

It nearly wasn’t enough despite Lillard and Lopez’s outstanding outings. Milwaukee had a 14-point lead in the third quarter, but as the Bucks went nearly seven minutes without a basket in the last frame, that advantage was reduced.

With 1:10 left in the game, Brunson made a 3-pointer to give the Knicks their first lead since the beginning of the second quarter. He sent a kissing blow to the audience to end the shot.

Despite his poor 3-point shooting performance, Brunson was 17 for 30 from inside the arc and 9 of 11 from the free throw line.

Lillard remarked, “He can make threes, but he doesn’t settle for threes.” He is a foul-maker. He is aware of how to take up position in front of the defense. He virtually forces the defender to foul since he puts them in difficult circumstances. You’re putting up a strong fight, as you’ve been trained, but he has you at his mercy.

After Brunson’s huge shot, Lillard made a 3-pointer of his own to give Milwaukee a 104-103 lead once more.

After Brunson missed a 10-footer with 49 seconds left, Khris Middleton found Lillard cutting to the basket for a driving layup to start a 3-point play that made it 107-103 with 38 seconds to go.

With 17.8 seconds left, Lopez hit one of his two free throws and delivered his last block of the game. Brunson’s driving layup cut Milwaukee’s lead to 108-105 with 8.8 seconds left, but Lillard sealed the victory by hitting two free throws with 6.4 seconds to play.

“Hard-fought (game), but we didn’t do enough to get it done at the end,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “We should return with greater resolve.”

Due to a strained knee, RJ Barrett of Canada missed the Knicks’ second consecutive game of play.

The Bucks and Knicks are in East Group B of the tournament along with Charlotte, Miami and Washington. This month’s games between all of the teams in the group are scheduled as part of their regular-season schedules.

The tournament’s six group winners and two wild-card teams advance to quarterfinal matchups Dec. 4-5.