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Tuesday, Jan. 23 8:00pm ET
Bucks undeterred by Knicks' defensive feat

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MILWAUKEE (AP) -- The Knicks' record-setting defensive streak fell victim to Milwaukee's long-range shooting.

Sam Cassell
Sam Cassell scored 22 points to help the Bucks snap their seven-game losing streak against the Knicks.

Sam Cassell had 22 points and the Bucks hit a franchise record 14 3-pointers Tuesday night to beat the Knicks 105-91 and snap New York's NBA-record 33-game streak of holding their opponent under 100 points.

Glenn Robinson had 21 and six assists and Hunter and Ray Allen added 19 points apiece as the Bucks won their eighth straight for the first time since the 1990-91 season.

Lindsey Hunter's five 3-pointers and four from Allen helped Milwaukee snap a seven-game losing streak against the Knicks and move past New York for the second-best record in the Eastern Conference behind Philadelphia.

"We weren't too concerned about that," Hunter said about the Knicks' 33-game defensive mastery. "We wanted them to notice that we weren't a team they could dominate."

The Knicks were without Marcus Camby, who sat out the third of his five-game suspension for throwing a punch at San Antonio's Danny Ferry on Jan. 15. However, there were no excuses coming from the New York lockerroom.

"We did not play defense like we're capable of playing," said Latrell Sprewell who had 21 points and six rebounds for New York.

The Knicks entered the game holding the opposition to 83.7 points, but the Bucks had 82 by the end of the third.

Allan Houston added 21 points, Glen Rice had 16 and Charlie Ward 13, but it wasn't enough as Milwaukee snapped the Knicks' five-game road winning streak.

"Tonight we gave up too many open shots," Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy said after the Bucks shot 48.4 percent (40-of-82) from the floor. "We played bad defense, and they did a great job."

Cassell's 3-pointer, the 14th in the game for Milwaukee, gave the Bucks a 99-83 lead with 4:25 to go. After a Knicks' timeout, Hunter stole the ball from Sprewell and hit a 20-foot jumper that ended the Knicks' 33-game run.

Sprewell had the Knicks' first seven points in the fourth to pull New York to 84-77, but Hunter wouldn't let the Bucks blow their lead as they had done in five of the last six New York victories. His 3-pointer with 9:49 left stopped the surge.

"They had our number and we had to let them know that, if we do meet (in the playoffs), it's going to be a battle," Hunter said.

The Knicks never got closer than 11 after Robinson's basket made it 94-83 with 5:45 left.

Sprewell's free throw pulled the Knicks to 70-64 with 4:49 left in the third, but the Bucks pulled away with a 12-6 run on a 3-pointers from Tim Thomas and Allen and four points from Robinson to regain a double-digit lead heading into the fourth.

Thomas' 3-pointer late in the second gave Milwaukee a 58-47 margin. His shot and four 3-pointers from Hunter helped the Bucks pass the season-high 55 points the Knicks had allowed in the first half in a 94-85 loss at Dallas.

Rice had six points in a 14-6 run late in the second as the Knicks trimmed a 17-point deficit to 58-49 at the half. The Bucks helped by missing eight of their last 10 shots to close the quarter.

Game notes
The Bucks scored 31 points in the first quarter. ... Sprewell, who averaged 13 points in the first two games against the Bucks, had 12 in the first. ... The Knicks Luc Longley missed the game due to a stomach virus. ... The Bucks' seven-game losing streak was the club's longest against any opponent. ... The Knicks already own the tie-breaker, having beaten the Bucks twice in the three-game series. ... Attendance was 18,717, the Bucks' fourth sellout of the season. The club had three last year, excluding the playoffs.
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Boston 83
Atlanta 82

Washington 97
Charlotte 95

Orlando 116
Toronto 111

Philadelphia 114
Dallas 98

Milwaukee 105
New York 91

Minnesota 82
Phoenix 73

Seattle 91
LA Lakers 80

Portland 104
Chicago 100

San Antonio 110
Vancouver 77

Denver 105
Houston 100

Utah 100
Golden State 78

Sacramento 130
New Jersey 104

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