Box Score

 

MILWAUKEE (111)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
D Mason             40 10-17   3-5  2-12   4   4   23
T Thomas            40  8-13   4-5   1-8   0   5   22
E Johnson           20   0-3   0-0   3-4   2   3    0
S Cassell           38  6-13   4-4   1-3   5   2   16
G Payton            37 10-17   2-2   0-1   5   3   23
J Caffey            13   1-3   1-1   0-1   0   4    3
T Kukoc             26  4-11   2-2   1-3   3   2   13
M Redd              21  3-10   4-4   2-2   1   3   11
D Gadzuric           4   0-0   0-0   0-1   0   1    0
M Haislip            1   0-0   0-0   0-0   0   1    0
A Mason            DNP  - STRAINED LEFT HIP                              
J Sampson          DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 42-87 20-23 10-35  20  28  111
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.483, FT-.870. 3-Point Goals:
7-21, .333 (D Mason 0-1, T Thomas 2-6, S 
Cassell 0-2, G Payton 1-1, T Kukoc 3-7, M 
Redd 1-4). Team Rebounds: 14. Blocked Shots: 
0.  Turnovers:7 (T Kukoc 3, T Thomas 3, S 
Cassell). Steals: 2 (T Kukoc, S Cassell).


NEW YORK (120)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
O Harrington        33   3-6   7-7  5-10   2   4   13
L Sprewell          35   3-9   3-4   0-4   6   2   10
K Thomas            34  3-13   3-4   1-7   1   3    9
H Eisley            13   0-3   0-0   0-1   5   4    0
A Houston           44 13-25 18-18   1-2   1   3   50
C Ward              35  5-10   0-0   0-6   7   1   15
M Doleac             3   0-0   1-2   0-1   0   1    1
C Weatherspoon      21   3-5   7-8   3-6   1   2   13
S Anderson          22   3-4   1-1   1-2   0   3    9
T Knight           DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
L Nailon           DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
F Williams         DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 33-75 40-44 11-39  23  23  120
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.440, FT-.909. 3-Point Goals:
14-34, .412 (L Sprewell 1-5, H Eisley 0-2, A 
Houston 6-14, C Ward 5-10, S Anderson 2-3). 
Team Rebounds: 6. Blocked Shots:3 (K Thomas 
2, C Ward). Turnovers:7 (C Ward 3, K Thomas 
2, L Sprewell, O Harrington). Steals: 4 (K 
Thomas 2, C Ward, C Weatherspoon).

--------------------------------------------
MILWAUKEE            28  35  24  24   -  111
NEW YORK             28  41  21  30   -  120
-------------------------------------------- 

Technical fouls: Milwaukee - 2 (G Payton, 
1:31 1st; Defensive Three, 9:41 1st).
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 19,357. T: 2:12. 
Officials: Joe Forte, Scott Wall, Sean Corbin.

Extended Box

 

MILWAUKEE (111) AT NEW YORK (120)

MILWAUKEE

                                               REBOUNDS                        
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
D MASON           F    40   10-17     3-5      2  10  12    4   4   0   0   23
T THOMAS          F    40    8-13     4-5      1   7   8    0   5   0   3   22
E JOHNSON         C    20    0-3      0-0      3   1   4    2   3   0   0    0
S CASSELL         G    38    6-13     4-4      1   2   3    5   2   1   1   16
G PAYTON          G    37   10-17     2-2      0   1   1    5   3   0   0   23
J CAFFEY               13    1-3      1-1      0   1   1    0   4   0   0    3
T KUKOC                26    4-11     2-2      1   2   3    3   2   1   3   13
M REDD                 21    3-10     4-4      2   0   2    1   3   0   0   11
D GADZURIC              4    0-0      0-0      0   1   1    0   1   0   0    0
M HAISLIP               1    0-0      0-0      0   0   0    0   1   0   0    0
A MASON               DNP  - STRAINED LEFT HIP                                        
J SAMPSON             DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   42-87    20-23    10  25  35   20  28   2   7  111
                            (.483)  (.870)  TEAM REBS: 14 TOTAL TO: 8 (10 PTS)     

NEW YORK

                                               REBOUNDS                         
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
O HARRINGTON      F    33    3-6      7-7      5   5  10    2   4   0   1   13
L SPREWELL        F    35    3-9      3-4      0   4   4    6   2   0   1   10
K THOMAS          C    34    3-13     3-4      1   6   7    1   3   2   2    9
H EISLEY          G    13    0-3      0-0      0   1   1    5   4   0   0    0
A HOUSTON         G    44   13-25    18-18     1   1   2    1   3   0   0   50
C WARD                 35    5-10     0-0      0   6   6    7   1   1   3   15
M DOLEAC                3    0-0      1-2      0   1   1    0   1   0   0    1
C WEATHERSPOON         21    3-5      7-8      3   3   6    1   2   1   0   13
S ANDERSON             22    3-4      1-1      1   1   2    0   3   0   0    9
T KNIGHT              DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
L NAILON              DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
F WILLIAMS            DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   33-75    40-44    11  28  39   23  23   4   7  120
                            (.440)  (.909)  TEAM REBS:  6 TOTAL TO: 7 (4 PTS)      
  
   MILWAUKEE          28   35   24   24   -   111
   NEW YORK           28   41   21   30   -   120
  
BLOCKED SHOTS: MILWAUKEE  - NONE, NEW YORK - K THOMAS 2, C WARD.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: MILWAUKEE 7-21 (.333), D MASON 0-1, T THOMAS 2-
6, S CASSELL 0-2, G PAYTON 1-1, T KUKOC 3-7, M REDD 1-4. NEW YORK 14-
34 (.412), L SPREWELL 1-5, H EISLEY 0-2, A HOUSTON 6-14, C WARD 5-
10, S ANDERSON 2-3.
TECHNICAL FOULS: MILWAUKEE - G PAYTON, DEFENSIVE THREE.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: JOE FORTE, SCOTT WALL, SEAN CORBIN.
A - 19,357. T - 2:12.

Game Story

NEW YORK (Ticker) -- Allan Houston moved into rare company and 
the New York Knicks moved back into the playoff race.

Houston scored 50 points for the second time this season,
lighting up the defenseless Milwaukee Bucks in a 120-111 victory
that tightened the Eastern Conference standings.

One month to the day from his league season-high 53-point
explosion against the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston caught fire
again.  One of the best shooters in the game, he scorched the
Bucks, who did not opt to double-team him until it was way too
late.

"They didn't do a lot of double-teaming," Houston said.  "I was
just fortunate that we were all making plays."

"He hit a lot of tough shots," said Bucks guard Desmond Mason, a
good defensive player who could not stop Houston.  "He had some
open looks, but he shoots well with a hand in his face also.
When he got hot, he started knocking down the open ones and the
ones with a hand in his face.  There's really not much you can
do about that."

Houston made 13-of-25 shots and led a team-wide barrage from the
arc by making 6-of-12 3-pointers.  When Milwaukee resorted to
fouling, he made them pay, sinking all 18 of his free throws -
one shy of Bill Cartwright's team record for foul shots without
a miss.

Houston joined Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant as the only NBA
players to score at least 50 points twice this season.  It was
the most points scored by a Knick in Madison Square Garden since
Patrick Ewing had 51 vs. Boston on March 24, 1990.

"It felt a little different because when you are at home in MSG,
you feel the emotion rising with every basket," Houston said.
"It was a lot of fun.  It is always good to do it in your home."

"It was great to see Allan in the zone like that," teammate Kurt
Thomas said.  "This is the second time we've seen him like that
this year.  He's just a tremendous shooter, one of the best
shooters in this league."

On the Knicks' final possession, Houston got the ball on the
right side and used his 6-6 height to hit a jumper over the
shorter Sam Cassell, thrilling the near-sellout crowd of 19,357.

"I was aware at that point," he said.  "I wasn't really gonna
call for the ball but they swung it to me."

The Knicks dealt the Bucks their fourth straight loss and
knocked them out of a tie with Washington for the final playoff
berth in the East.  Ending a two-game slide, New York (29-37)
moved within 2 1/2 games of Milwaukee (32-35) and three of
Washington (32-34).

"The biggest thing is that we won and that we are in the playoff
hunt," Houston said.  "It was fun."

Charlie Ward scored 15 points - all on 3-pointers - and Clarence
Weatherspoon and Othella Harrington added 13 apiece for the
Knicks, who made 14-of-34 3-pointers.

"I think the 50 points overshadows how we were all making plays
and making shots," Houston said.

New York scored a season-high 69 points in the first half.  It
fell two shy of the franchise record for 3-pointers, set earlier
this season at Philadelphia.

Mason and Gary Payton scored 23 points each and Tim Thomas added
22 for the Bucks, who failed in a bid to sweep the season
series for the first time since the 1990-91 campaign.

Houston scored 12 points in the first quarter, which ended in a
28-28 tie.  He added another 13 in the second period, when the
Knicks erupted for 41 points and opened a 69-63 halftime lead.

"I was a little disappointed in how he got his points," Bucks
coach George Karl said.  "We had to control the free-throw line
big-time, and once they shot all the free throws in the first
half, the game got offensively out of control for us."

In the first half, New York made 10-of-17 3-pointers.  But
Milwaukee hung in and took an 83-80 lead on a three-point play
by Payton with 3:55 left in the third quarter.

Houston tied it with a 3-pointer, and the teams traded baskets
before Harrington's hoop gave the Knicks the lead for good.

In the fourth quarter, Houston scored 19 points.  He had two
free throws, a jumper and another 3-pointer to push the lead to
97-91.  His layup, jumper and two free throws made it 105-96
with 6:13 remaining.

"The times I guarded him, I tried to make him shoot the ball
over me," Bucks 6-10 forward Tim Thomas said.  "I tried to use
my height and size advantage.  I guess I wasn't guarding him
enough.  The times I did guard him, I forced him into some tough
shots.  He missed a runner and a couple of floaters, but he
just had his way,  basically."

"To finish the game, you have to have one of your stars taking
over," Chaney said.  "Allan Houston took over the game."

Houston sank two more foul shots and a jumper from the left
baseline for a 111-101 bulge with 4:10 left.  The Knicks nursed
the lead into the final minute without any help from their hot
hand.

"He was making a lot of buckets," Ward said.  "A non-literate
basketball person could figure out that he was hot.  I just
didn't want to wear him out.  We had to relieve him by calling
something for someone else to give him a break."

Latrell Sprewell scored 10 points and Harrington grabbed 10
rebounds for the Knicks, who shot 44 percent (33-of-75) and
committed just seven turnovers.

Cassell scored 16 points and Toni Kukoc added 13 for the Bucks,
who shot 48 percent (42-of-87), including 7-of-21 from the arc.
Milwaukee committed eight turnovers.