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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Cliff Robinson took care of the outside, Rodney
Rogers took care of the inside and the Phoenix Suns took care of
the Milwaukee Bucks.
|  | | Cliff Robinson of the Suns defends against Glenn Robinson of the Bucks Thursday night. |
Robinson scored a season-high 35 points, including five
3-pointers, and Rogers scored 25 -- also a season high -- primarily
by backing down Milwaukee defenders and scoring inside as Phoenix
beat Milwaukee 104-96.
Jason Kidd had three key baskets in the fourth quarter and
finished with 16 points. His jump shot with 25 seconds left wrapped
up the win.
Glenn Robinson scored 26 for the Bucks. Ray Allen added 15.
"We did a real good job of trying to go after the weak defender
in the post," Cliff Robinson said. "Rodney backed them down and
either scored or passed it out. Then we did a good job of spacing
and swinging the ball."
Phoenix coach Scott Skiles said Suns showed confidence despite
falling behind by 12 in the first half.
"I felt like my guys were relaxed and felt they were going to
win the game," Skiles said. "I saw a lot of good things tonight.
Cliff (Robinson) had a big game, and Rodney (Rogers) gave us the
inside. I was able to give Jason (Kidd) some reasonable minutes for
a change, and he came through in the fourth quarter."
Rogers also had a season-high in rebounds with nine. Many came
in the second half, when the Suns were able to close what had been
a 23-13 rebounding edge at halftime to 41-36 by the end of the
game.
The Suns started the fourth quarter with a 9-2 run, including
seven points by Rogers, and tied the score at 85-85 on Shawn
Marion's dunk with 9:11 left.
Kidd scored on a layup to give Phoenix a 91-89 lead -- the Suns'
first since the first quarter -- with 5:24 left. He was fouled by
Allen in the process and added the free throw for a three-point
edge.
Kidd added a 3-pointer with 4:40 left to give Phoenix a 95-89
lead.
"We got the same shots in the second half that we did in the
first half," Kidd said. "We just didn't knock them down.
"In the second half, we played defense. In the first half, we
didn't. We let them do whatever they wanted."
Until the fourth quarter, the Bucks seemed headed for their
sixth win in seven games. The Bucks started the second quarter with
a 16-5 run to open a 40-28 lead and maintained a double-figure
margin for much of the quarter.
Cliff Robinson scored 12 points, including three 3-pointers, in
the third quarter to help the Suns close to three points, but Glenn
Robinson kept the Bucks ahead with 10 points in the period. Lindsey
Hunter sank a jumper at the buzzer to give the Bucks a 83-76 lead
at the end of the quarter.
"I thought we played a tough basketball game, but they made
their shots," Glenn Robinson said. "Cliff Robinson got it going.
They had Rodney Rogers going too. When a team gets it going like
that, it's hard to stop them."
Milwaukee coach George Karl, who has been openly critical of his
players the last couple weeks, was a little easier on them in his
post-game comments.
"It was a story of two different games out there tonight,"
Karl said. "The first three quarters we played well offensively
and decent defensively. In the fourth quarter, we were beaten on
both ends of the floor."
Game
notes
Suns center Chris Dudley was activated from the injured
list (left ankle sprain) and started. Forward Ruben Garces was put
on the injured list with a lower back sprain and bulging disk. ...
Bucks forward Jerome Kersey was on the bench in street clothes with
a broken left wrist, but he has not been put on the injured list.
The Bucks hope he can eventually play with a cast. ... Mark Bristol
of Bayside, a suburb of Milwaukee, won a car and airplane tickets
by sinking a halfcourt shot during halftime.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Phoenix Clubhouse
Milwaukee Clubhouse
RECAPS
Orlando 103
Denver 93
Phoenix 104
Milwaukee 96
Minnesota 105
Washington 88
New York 86
San Antonio 83
Utah 98
Vancouver 87
 FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
George Karl Official Site
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