Bucks 94 - Knicks 90

December 21, 2002

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Sam Cassell made up for the shots he missed down the stretch one night earlier.

Cassell scored 25 points, including two key jump shots in the closing seconds, to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 94-90 win over the New York Knicks on Saturday night. Cassell sank a jump shot from the top of the key with 58 seconds left and a 3-pointer 35 seconds later.
 
``I missed so many shots at Memphis yesterday that I got a little gun shy,'' said Cassell, who also had nine assists. ``I just kept shooting and made a couple big ones tonight.''

Michael Redd had 21 points for Milwaukee, Anthony Mason matched his season high with 16 and Joel Przybilla tied his career high with 14 rebounds.

``We had several guys come up big down the stretch for us,'' said Milwaukee coach George Karl, whose team improved to 11-15. ``Sam hit a big two, Mase hit a hook shot, and Sam came back with that big 3.''

Allan Houston led the Knicks with 17 points. Kurt Thomas had 16 and Latrell Sprewell and Howard Eisley 13 each.

``Had we played up to our capabilities we would have won this game,'' said Knicks coach Don Chaney. ``Going into the fourth quarter, we had seven turnovers. We ended up with seven turnovers in the fourth quarter. So, we cheated ourselves by not giving ourselves a chance at the basket.

``Our defensive intensity was not as high as it had been. That hurt us in the fourth quarter when they made some big shots.''

The final quarter was close for all 12 minutes. Mason's hook shot with 1:24 left pulled the Bucks within a point, 88-87. Cassell gave Milwaukee the lead for good 26 seconds later.

The Knicks turned the ball over with 39 seconds left, and Cassell sank a 3-pointer for a 92-88 lead. Thomas made it 92-90, but Redd sank two free throws with 13.5 seconds left for the final 94-90 score.

``Mase's hook shot was real big,'' Redd said. ``He was looking to pass, and when he couldn't he just flipped it up there.''

The Bucks held the Knicks to 39 percent shooting in the first half and led, 51-45 at halftime. Milwaukee went on a 10-4 run in the closing minutes of the half to build that lead, as Cassell made six straight free throws. The Bucksled 68-67 after three quarters.

Notes

The Knicks' Latrell Sprewell still draws a contingent of friends and family when the Knicks play in Milwaukee. Sprewell played prep basketball at Milwaukee Washington H.S. ... The Knicks came into Saturday's game averaging only 89.5 ppg in road games. ... Bucks forward Jason Caffey has missed the last two games with a finger injury on his right hand. ... Ray Allen, the Bucks' leading scorer, was only 3-for-16 from the floor Saturday and finished with 10points.

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