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GAME FLOW
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Glenn Robinson doesn't mind that some of
the preseason expectations for Milwaukee faded with the Bucks'
sluggish start.
| | The Bucks' Jason Caffey, left, and Ray Allen collapse on Orlando's Michael Doleac. | Milwaukee was seen as a contender for the Central Division
title, but that changed when the Bucks won just three of their
first 12 games and headed into Orlando with a four-game losing
streak.
The Bucks stopped the streak on Monday by beating Orlando 104-95, but
Robinson, who returned to the lineup following a two-game absence
with the flu and scored 21 points, refused to revive the talk of
postseason possibilities.
"I didn't really like what people were saying about us,"
Robinson said. "I think it was unfair for people to say we were
going to win the East, being that we struggled last year to even
make the playoffs.
"We don't want people to talk about us. We just want to stay
the underdogs. That way teams can't come at us."
Milwaukee attacked Orlando from beyond the 3-point arc. The
Bucks made seven 3-pointers in the first half, including four in
the final 3:21, to pull away 56-43 at halftime.
Orlando, playing its second consecutive game without Tracy
McGrady, who has an infected finger, shot a season-low 33.3 percent.
Mike Miller, who started for McGrady, and Darrell Armstrong shot a
combined 11-for-34 from the field.
Pat Garrity led Orlando with 21 points, but 17 came in the
fourth quarter.
Orlando played without Grant Hill, who went on the injured list
Nov. 6 to recover from offseason ankle surgery.
"When you play the Bucks with the scoring they have, this is
one of those games when just before the game you knew you needed
your horses," Magic coach Doc Rivers said. "Even when you play
great defense against this team, they tend to score points.
"They have four of the best offensive players in the East on
the same team, so you knew they would score. I was somehow hoping
that we would also get some scoring."
Robinson got plenty of help from Ray Allen, who scored a
game-high 23 points on 8-for-12 shooting. Tim Thomas scored 18 and
Sam Cassell had 15. Robinson also had eight rebounds and a
season-high four blocked shots in 34 minutes.
Orlando, which has lost six of its last seven games, committed
17 turnovers and trailed by as many as 18 points in the second
half. Orlando made 13 of 18 free throws in the third quarter, but
managed only three of 17 field-goal attempts as Milwaukee carried an
81-63 lead into the fourth quarter.
The teams were tied, 26-26, after the first quarter, but Orlando
scored 17 points in the second quarter on 7-for-21 shooting.
Game notes Veteran Jerome Kersey, who signed a free agent deal with
Milwaukee on Monday, played five minutes. ... Milwaukee has
defeated Orlando six consecutive times. ... Milwaukee has held
Orlando to under 100 points in the teams' last 15 games.
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NBA Scoreboard
Milwaukee Clubhouse
Orlando Clubhouse
RECAPS
New York 97 Vancouver 72
Milwaukee 104 Orlando 95
LA Lakers 98 LA Clippers 83
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