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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
MILWAUKEE (AP) – Ray Allen wouldn't be bullied by Andrew
DeClercq or burned by Tracy McGrady.
|  | | Jason Caffey's second-quarter pass met an obstacle in Orlando's Michael Doleac. |
Fired up by a flagrant foul from DeClercq, Allen scored a
personal playoff-best 27 points as the Milwaukee Bucks beat Orlando
103-96 Wednesday night and took a 2-0 lead in their best-of-five
series.
In the fourth quarter, Allen slowed down McGrady after the
Magic's 21-year-old star appeared primed to win the game by
himself.
McGrady scored a career playoff-high 35 points, but just five in
the fourth quarter as the Magic lost for the 11th straight time to
Milwaukee.
"He was smoking," Allen said. "I had a chance to sit back and
watch him and he had a real good rhythm making jumpshots. He
thought he was going to post me up a little bit more and he had a
little spin move. And I was right there in his pocket."
Sam Cassell added 26 points for the Bucks, who won consecutive
playoff games for the first time since 1989, when they beat Atlanta
two straight en route to a 3-2 series win, the last time Milwaukee
advanced past the first round.
Game 3 shifts to Orlando on Saturday night.
The Magic tried to transform themselves from a finesse team to a
physical one, and they sent the Bucks to the line 33 times. Allen
was 11-for-13 from the foul line and Cassell made all nine of his
free throws as the Bucks outscored Orlando 25-9 from the stripe.
The Magic immediately took heed to their coach's challenge to be
more physical as DeClercq picked up a flagrant foul for hammering
Allen just 1:15 after tipoff.
Allen was assessed a technical foul by official Bob Delaney
after jumping up and getting into DeClercq's face.
"I told him I wasn't going to let somebody throw me down to the
floor and I was going to defend myself. For that, he gave me a
technical," Allen said. "It's a guy's right to foul you, but when
he slams you on the floor, it's another story."
Magic coach Doc Rivers chastised his players after Game 1 for
failing to retaliate when Bucks forward Scott Williams hammered
McGrady on his way to the basket for a flagrant foul.
"Doc came out with something about an eye for an eye," Bucks
coach George Karl said. "But the truth is both our teams are
fairly finesse oriented. But in the playoffs it is intense and
physical."
McGrady got some help this time, and not just from his teammates
standing up for him.
Charles Outlaw scored 17 points, Mike Miller had 11 and Darrell
Armstrong and Pat Garrity each added 10.
McGrady, however, only attempted three free throws despite
taking 31 shots.
"How Tracy McGrady can shoot the ball 31 times and only go to
the line three times is a farce," Rivers fumed. "I thought he got
frustrated. He was getting hit on the arms, on the head. And they
weren't calling it."
McGrady has gotten used to not getting the calls.
"I've been going through that all season," he said. "To hell
with it!"
McGrady took a nearly seven-minute break spanning the third and
fourth quarters and didn't enjoy the break: "I don't like coming
out of games when I'm on a roll," he said.
McGrady scored 20 straight points for the Magic in the first
half, which ended with Orlando trailing 53-51.
The Bucks' "Big Three" -- Allen, Cassell and Glenn Robinson --
combined for 67 points, 19 more than they accumulated in Game 1
Sunday night.
The Bucks led 82-77 entering the fourth quarter and never lost
the lead despite scoring just one point until Lindsey Hunter's
3-pointer over McGrady with 7:53 remaining made it 86-80.
Jason Caffey scored a career playoff-high 13 points for
Milwaukee, and Ervin Johnson, shut out on the offensive end, had 13
rebounds.
The Bucks, who outrebounded Orlando by 17 in Game 1, had a 53-41
edge on the glass Wednesday night, including 10 from a surprising
player -- Allen, who also led the Bucks with seven assists.
Allen scored 14 points in the first quarter, including the last
five as the Bucks built a 33-26 lead. The Bucks made it 37-28 and
it looked like they were going to run away with it early before
McGrady took over.
McGrady capitalized on the bad back and sore shoulder of his
good friend Tim Thomas, scoring four straight baskets on him and
sinking two free throws after a Thomas foul to make it 37-36.
But McGracy fizzled in the fourth quarter as the Magic lost yet
another game to their nemesis.
"They do have more guns, more experience than us," Rivers
said. "But I do believe we will return to Milwaukee."
For a decisive Game 5, he meant, not next season.
Game notes
In the first quarter, the Bucks had 18 rebounds, including
seven offensive boards, and the Magic had six total. ... McGrady's
18 second-quarter points tied Anfernee Hardaway's team playoff
record set against Miami in 1997. ... Orlando has lost nine of its
last 10 games at the Bradley Center.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Orlando Clubhouse
Milwaukee Clubhouse
Magic-Bucks Series Page
RECAPS
Milwaukee 103
Orlando 96
Sacramento 116
Phoenix 90
AUDIO/VIDEO
 George Karl questions Doc Rivers' decision to retaliate with physical play.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Doc Rivers isn't happy with Tracy McGrady's lack of free-throw opportunities.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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