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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) -- Grant Hill saved his best for last
against the Milwaukee Bucks.
|  | | Dale Ellis and the Bucks couldn't find an answer for Grant Hill, who had 31 points and 7 assists. |
Hill scored 19 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter as the
Detroit Pistons beat Milwaukee 101-95 on Thursday night, extending
their winning streak to six games.
Hill, coming off consecutive 42-point performances in Orlando
and Atlanta, was 13-of-21 from field and had seven assists and five
rebounds in 38 minutes.
"If we don't have the best player in the NBA, we certainly have
the best non-center," Pistons coach Alvin Gentry said.
"Now that he's added the jumper to his game, there's not a
single player in this league who can guard him one-on-one. You've
got to run two or three guys at him."
Hill, who didn't make a single 3-pointer in the strike-shortened
1999 season, already has 16 in 1999-2000. Two of those came in the
fourth quarter against the Bucks.
"Grant was very good," Bucks coach George Karl said. "We had
an opportunity to win the game, but we didn't make the stops that
we needed. He was good, and he showed a lot of class."
Hill sat out the final four minutes of the third quarter because
of foul trouble, but said that was the key to his strong finish.
"I was a little tired after the game last night, so that gave
me a chance to rest my legs a little," he said. "But it also gave
me a chance to get my thoughts together.
"When we went to Orlando, I was trying to remember all the
shooting tips, and straighten out my mechanics. Obviously, in that
game and Atlanta, things went pretty well."
The Bucks played without point guard Sam Cassell, who missed the
game because of tendinitis in his right ankle, but nearly had
enough to end Detroit's season-best winning streak.
"Sam plays a big role for this team, and he's a big part of
what we're trying to accomplish," Bucks guard Dale Ellis said.
"We need him to play and it's unfortunate that his ankle is
bothering him."
Milwaukee led by as many as nine in the fourth, but couldn't
stop Hill.
Christian Laettner added 20 for Detroit, Jerry Stackhouse had
18, and Jerome Williams added 11 points and 17 rebounds.
Robinson led Milwaukee with 31 points, Tim Thomas added 16 and
Ray Allen had 15.
Detroit led 50-47 at the half, but Allen immediately tied the it
with a three-point play to start the third. That kicked off a 15-4
run, with Allen scoring eight and Robinson adding five.
That put the Bucks up 62-54, but Stackhouse led the Pistons
back, scoring six straight to tie it at 64.
With Hill on the bench with his four fouls, the Bucks scored the
next eight points, and led 75-68 entering the fourth quarter.
Robinson scored 15 points in the third quarter.
Milwaukee led 84-75 with eight minutes left, but Detroit went on
a 10-2 surge to pull within one with 4:50 to go. Hill had eight of
the points, including back-to-back 3-pointers.
Detroit finally went ahead 92-90 on Williams' two free throws.
After Allen made a free throw, Michael Curry's jumper made it a
three-point lead with 1:46 left.
Allen and Hill traded baskets before Haywoode Workman hit two
free throws with a minute left. Hill and Stackhouse missed, but
Workman missed the go-ahead shot and Curry grabbed the rebound.
He hit two free throws, making it 98-95 with 18.6 seconds to go.
Workman missed again, and Hill stripped the rebound from Allen.
"If Haywoode maybe had a little more playing time, he might
have made those shots," Karl said. "That's all part of the
NBA."
Game notes
Workman, who replaced Cassell, hadn't scored more than
seven points all season. He surpassed that total midway through the
second period and finished with 14. . ... Although the NBA season
is still some weeks from the midway point, the division-rival
Pistons and Bucks finished their season series Thursday. Detroit
won the series 3-1. ... Stackhouse, who was playing with the flu,
had 10 points in the third quarter, but also had five turnovers in
the period.
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NBA Scoreboard
Milwaukee Clubhouse
Detroit Clubhouse
RECAPS
Toronto 101
Sacramento 89
Cleveland 90
Golden State 75
Detroit 101
Milwaukee 95
Miami 111
Houston 99
Minnesota 98
Portland 96
Utah 105
Dallas 92
Indiana 102
Denver 87
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