RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Ray Allen had a simple answer why the New York
Knicks won and the Milwaukee Bucks didn't.
|  | | Knicks guard Allan Houston scored 24 points and outplayed fellow Olympic team member Ray Allen on Tuesday. |
"Our offense is not as assertive as theirs," Allen said after
watching Allan Houston score a season-high 24 points and team with
Latrell Sprewell to spark a first-quarter surge that led the Knicks
to a 103-89 victory. "We lack aggression going in to score
buckets."
The Knicks finished with 48 points in the post area while the Bucks
had 24. Marcus Camby had a season-high 13 rebounds and scored 12
points for the Knicks.
New York grabbed an early 14-point lead thanks to Sprewell and
Houston and was never really challenged until late in the game. All
five starters scored in double figures and Glen Rice contributed 18
off the bench.
"It's a lot easier to play when you have a cushion like that,"
Sprewell said. "Allan pretty much carried everybody, but we had
contributions from everybody. It was a good team win."
The Knicks shot 61 percent in the first quarter while putting
the defensive clamps on the Bucks, limiting them to nine baskets in
21 shots.
The only bad news coming from the Knicks locker room after the
game was an injury to Sprewell.
Sprewell, who had seven rebounds, said that his back tightened up
with 4:24 to play. He wouldn't offer any comment about his
status for Wednesday's game against Cleveland.
"Sprewell is a little bit hurt," Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy
said. "He's got back spasms. That's why he came out in the last
three minutes."
Sprewell had nine of his 16 points during the Knicks' 21-8 run
in the first quarter. Houston added four as the New York built a
27-13 lead with 3:35 left.
"They got easy baskets early around the lane," said Allen, who
finished with 20 points but had only six in the first half.
Lindsey Hunter had a season-high 23 points, including seven
3-pointers to tie his career-high set twice before. The last time
was against the Knicks on Jan. 12, 2000. Glenn Robinson added 21,
but went to the bench with five first-quarter turnovers as he could
not handle the pressure from Sprewell and the rest of the Knick
defenders. Robinson managed only six points in the first half.
The Knicks beat the Bucks for the sixth straight time and fourth
in a row at Milwaukee, but had to withstand a late charge.
The Bucks pulled to 89-79 on Sam Cassell's free throw after a
technical on Marcus Camby with 7:14 to go, but Larry Johnson hit a
3-pointer and New York regained control. Johnson had 13 points and
seven rebounds.
"We played very well for three quarters, and then we survived
the fourth," Van Gundy said. "We did what I think a lot of teams
in the NBA do, waited for the clock to run out."
The Bucks scored 26 in the final quarter to the Knicks' 23, but
it wasn't enough.
Houston and Ray Allen matched up for the first time since being
members of the gold-medal winning men's basketball team at the
Summer Olympics, and Houston won the matchup.
Charlie Ward had 10 of his 12 points in the third as the Knicks
stayed in control and led 80-63 heading into the fourth. His first
of two 3-pointers in the quarter gave New York a 15-point lead it
maintained for the rest of the quarter.
Tim Thomas made his first start of the season for the Bucks,
replacing Darvin Ham, who injured his left foot during Saturday's
game against the Detroit Pistons. He will be out 3-4 months. Thomas
had 11 points.
Game notes
Allen played in his 300th NBA game and has not missed a
single one since being drafted in 1996. ... The Bucks scored first,
but the Knicks countered and led after that. ... Jason Caffey
played 19 minutes and continued to struggle with the Bucks offense.
... The Knicks outrebounded the Bucks 44-34.
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NBA Scoreboard
New York Clubhouse
Milwaukee Clubhouse
Panel rejects Sprewell's 'baseless complaint'
RECAPS
Toronto 105
Boston 75
New York 103
Milwaukee 89
Washington 88
Chicago 83
Houston 84
LA Lakers 74
Phoenix 100
San Antonio 81
Portland 97
Atlanta 88
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Latrell Sprewell scores off the feed from Allan Houston.
avi: 825 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Marcus Camby throws down the alley-oop from Chris Childs.
avi: 505 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
 Coach George Karl breaks down the problems that have plagued the Bucks.
wav: 179 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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