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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- A suggestion from teammate Sam Cassell was all
Ray Allen needed to break out of a minor shooting slump.
Allen scored 25 points and hit four 3-pointers in the final
quarter Tuesday night as the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Orlando Magic
89-77 for their third consecutive win and 12th in their last 15
games.
|  | | Ray Allen, right, broke out of a shooting slump from long distance with four fourth-quarter 3-pointers. |
Allen, who had nine points against the Boston Celtics on
Saturday and scored only 11 through three quarters against the
Magic, credited Cassell with his fourth-quarter outburst.
"It was good," Allen said of his big night. "I've been rushed
when I get (the ball), not in rhythm. So tonight, the first couple,
Sam came over and told me I was rushing. That's the good
thing about a teammate, a lot of times, if you take an off-balance
shot, you don't realize it. Someone has to tell you. Tonight, I
just slowed down a little bit and shot."
Tim Thomas and Allen hit back-to-back 3-pointers to open the
final quarter and give Milwaukee a 64-57 lead. Allen's fourth
3-pointer of the period gave the Bucks an 83-72 lead with just
under three minutes remaining.
"They really did (shoot well at the end)," Orlando coach Doc
Rivers said. "We really just lost Ray Allen, which you don't ever
want to do. I thought we did a pretty nice job up until then."
Orlando scored the first 10 points of the third quarter and
erased a 12-point halftime deficit. Glenn Robinson hit a jumper
with 20.1 seconds left to give the Bucks a 58-57 lead after three
periods.
Milwaukee coach George Karl said the victory showed the Bucks
are maturing.
"I thought tonight's game was a pretty mature game for us. We
didn't play well in the third quarter. To be honest with you, Ray
wins the game with his 3s," he said. "We've got to learn how to
win close games. This game was a close game."
The victory was the seventh straight over Orlando for Milwaukee,
now 15-12 after a 3-9 start. Robinson added 15 points for the
Bucks, while Orlando, which lost its second straight, was led by
Tracy McGrady's 26 points. Darrell Armstrong had 20 for the Magic.
McGrady, who scored a career-high 43 points against Indiana on
Monday, was disappointed with the loss.
"We played well defensively tonight," McGrady said. "At the
end of the game, we needed to be better. We didn't find Ray Allen in transition tonight and he killed us in the fourth quarter. We
need to grow and overcome these errors to win these games."
Reserve Scott Williams and starter Jason Caffey both scored six
points in the second quarter to help the Bucks extend their
advantage to 45-33 at the half.
Lindsey Hunter hit a 3-pointer with two seconds left to give
Milwaukee a 23-21 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Game notes
The Bucks' 11-3 record in their last 14 games is their most
successful run in that span since 1990-91 when the Bucks went 12-2.
... Orlando missed its first 12 shots in the first period but still finished 9-for-27 for 33 percent.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Orlando Clubhouse
Milwaukee Clubhouse
RECAPS
Charlotte 115
Cleveland 110
Detroit 101
Boston 96
Atlanta 81
New Jersey 76
Dallas 114
Seattle 93
Milwaukee 89
Orlando 77
Minnesota 100
Toronto 97
San Antonio 103
Houston 95
Denver 109
LA Clippers 108
Philadelphia 97
Utah 91
Phoenix 97
Vancouver 95
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Tracy McGrady Official Site
George Karl Official Site
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