RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Snubbed from the All-Star Game once again, Sam
Cassell figures he's just going to have to showcase his skills
everywhere but in the NBA's showcase exhibition.
| | All-Star snub Sam Cassell, right, showcases his skills against the Pacers on Saturday. |
He led the Milwaukee Bucks' 104-85 rout of the Indiana Pacers on
Saturday night with 23 points, nine assists and six rebounds in a
mere 27 minutes.
"I don't think I will ever make the All-Star team," Cassell
said. "I feel I'm the 21st century version of Rod Strickland. What
is it? People don't like me? I don't care if people don't like me.
I know one thing, I'm a winner, no matter what team I'm on we're
going to win, we're going to get to the playoffs."
Cassell hit 10 of 15 shots before taking a seat late in the
third quarter with the Bucks comfortably ahead by 25.
The Bucks tied a franchise record by committing just five
turnovers to 19 by the Pacers, and they outshot Indiana 91-64.
"It's hard to win a game when you give up 30 more shots,"
Bucks coach George Karl said. "It's probably why we had an easy
time at it. I think we passed the ball extremely well and Sam was
probably as good as anybody out there tonight.
"He had a good bounce to his step and in the third quarter he
did a great job running the pick-and-roll, both passing and
scoring. He made the game easy."
Glenn Robinson added 22 points and Ray Allen had 20 for the
Bucks, who led by 15 in the first quarter, 16 at halftime and 30
after three quarters. Tim Thomas' 3-pointer gave them their biggest
lead at 90-58.
The Bucks led in nearly every statistical category, including
offensive rebounds (14-5), second-chance points (14-2) and
fast-break points (20-6).
Allen said the Bucks remember how they used to lose to the
Pacers with regularity, and that fuels their desire for payback.
The Pacers fell to 0-7 in the second of back-to-back games this
season.
"Just in general we had a lot of energy and we had an easy win
against a good basketball team," Karl said.
Jalen Rose led the Pacers with 15 points. Reggie Miller scored
just 10 for Indiana, about half his average, and all came in a
three-minute span of the first quarter. Miller went to the bench at
7:35 of the third quarter with back spasms and didn't return.
"He was going to come out of the game anyway," Pacers coach
Isiah Thomas said. "The game was basically over."
Indiana, which topped 100 points for the first time in 17 games
on Friday night against Denver, fell behind 25-10 and never
recovered.
"They're a very explosive offensive team," Rose said. "When
they're making shots, it's very tough to beat them."
Indiana fell to 21-26, but Rose said the Pacers, who have
knocked Milwaukee out of the playoffs the last two years, will
still be heard from before it's over.
"We're not going anywhere," he said. "We're going to be here
for the long haul. In the second half of the season and in the
playoffs, we'll be here."
Game notes Bucks rookie Joel Przybilla banged his head on the court
with 9:12 left in the fourth quarter while fouling Jonathan Bender.
He said he was fine afterward. ... Jermaine O'Neal returned from a
strained left groin that kept him out of the Pacers' game Friday
night. ... Bender stopped a 4-on-1 Bucks' break in the third
quarter with a block of Cassell. ... Travis Best was on the
trainer's table after the game getting treatment on his lower back.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Indiana Clubhouse
Milwaukee Clubhouse
RECAPS
Minnesota 108 Toronto 105
Denver 105 Washington 100
Detroit 88 Cleveland 81
Orlando 96 Atlanta 84
Dallas 101 Golden State 95
Milwaukee 104 Indiana 85
San Antonio 90 Houston 88
Utah 111 Seattle 91
Vancouver 91 Chicago 84
LA Clippers 90 Portland 89
FROM ATHLETESDIRECT
Reggie Miller Official Site
George Karl Official Site
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