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  Monday, Apr. 10 8:00pm ET
Allen, Cassell spark Milwaukee
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME FLOW

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Ray Allen's big shots backed up Sam Cassell's big words, and the Milwaukee Bucks made the Eastern Conference playoff race very interesting.

Allen scored 33 points and Cassell added 18 points and eight assists as the energized Bucks beat the Magic 104-87 Monday night, moving Milwaukee one game behind Orlando for the East's final postseason berth.

Sam Cassell
Milwaukee's Sam Cassell drives to the hoop, drawing the foul from Orlando's Pat Garrity.

The ninth-place Bucks and eighth-place Magic both have five games left, and the teams meet again in Orlando next Monday. The victory also was Milwaukee's third straight against the Magic this season, giving the Bucks the tiebreaker edge.

Cassell, who guaranteed the Bucks would win, verbally goaded the Magic all night in an intense, emotional game for both teams. Shoves, stares and technical fouls were in abundance as Milwaukee won while playing an unusually physical style.

"It was something that we had to do," Cassell said. "It wasn't a bold statement that I made. I was just saying that we can't have any slip-ups now."

Allen carried the offensive load, burying jumper after jumper with defenders in his face.

"Tonight we just came out hitting," Allen said. "We know the hype that has been around Orlando, and we wanted people to take notice of us."

Milwaukee (38-39) is right behind Orlando (39-38) after being three games out of the playoff picture a week ago. Detroit's loss to Minnesota on Monday night also allowed the Bucks to pull within two games of the seventh-place Pistons.

The Bucks, who won for the sixth time in eight games, played with an intensity they have shown only fleetingly this season, throwing down dunks, making scintillating passes and playing solid defense.

"I was proud of how we played," Bucks coach George Karl said. "We played with a lot of spark, a lot of smarts. It's good to get excited about a game."

Orlando, which had 13 turnovers in the first three quarters, fell behind by 23 points in the third quarter before making a late comeback.

The Magic, who were playing their third game in four nights, trimmed Milwaukee's lead to 13 points several times in the fourth quarter. But Allen and Tim Thomas hit big shots as the Bucks pulled away to the delight of a small but vocal Bradley Center crowd.

Ron Mercer had 14 points -- but only two after halftime -- to lead the Magic, who lost for just the second time in 10 games. Darrell Armstrong had 13 points while shooting 5-of-15. Orlando didn't hit a 3-pointer until nine minutes were left in the game, and the Magic shot 35 percent from the field.

"I don't think we had much energy," Orlando coach Doc Rivers said. "They played well, they played desperate, and it looked like we were exhausted."

Tempers flared on several occasions. Cassell and referee Bennett Salvatore engaged in a shouting match, and both coaches worked their sidelines and the officials aggressively.

John Amaechi and Ervin Johnson exchanged angry words in the third quarter, and Ben Wallace and Scott Williams also challenged each other moments later. Cassell, Williams and Thomas, who shoved Pat Garrity after the two became tangled under the basket, all received technical fouls.

The highly contentious atmosphere seemed to bring out the best in Milwaukee. The Bucks shot 54 percent in the first half and had seven players with at least seven points.

"They have the tiebreaker now, but we're still in good shape," said Garrity, who scored four points after getting 32 the last time the Magic played in Milwaukee. "Now is not the time to panic."

Orlando closes the season with games against Boston, New Jersey, Miami and Toronto in addition to the final meeting with Milwaukee. The Bucks have Cleveland, Charlotte and two games with Washington on their schedule.

"We've got three games this week before we can even think about playing them down there on Monday," Karl said.

Game notes
Even the biggest game of the Bucks' season couldn't draw a big crowd to the Bradley Center. The upper deck was two-thirds empty at game time. ... Milwaukee native Rick Majerus watched the game from courtside, and the Utah coach had difficulty deciding who to root for. A former Bucks assistant coach and friend of Karl, Majerus also coached Rivers while the two were at Marquette in the late 1970s, and coached Magic center Michael Doleac at Utah. ... Karl protested an illegal defense call by referee Jim Clark in the first quarter, saying, "Why'd you call it so quick, Jimmy?" Clark replied, "That's my job."

 


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RECAPS
Boston 99
Atlanta 94

Philadelphia 96
Miami 80

Toronto 112
Cleveland 103

Charlotte 107
Washington 105

Milwaukee 104
Orlando 87

Minnesota 102
Detroit 100

New York 83
Indiana 81

LA Lakers 106
Seattle 103

Portland 90
Utah 86