Bucks Cool Off Spurs

While San Antonio has figured out most of the rest of the NBA, the Spurs can’t seem to solve the Milwaukee Bucks.

Sam Cassell scored 33 points and Glenn Robinson had 30 to lead the Bucks over the Spurs, 101-91, Sunday night at San Antonio, ending the Spurs’ 10-game winning streak.

“They seem to get really excited when they play us,” Spur center David Robinson said.

“It was a typical San Antonio-Milwaukee game. We missed a lot of good looks, and Milwaukee put on a shooting exhibition.”

The Bucks have won five in a row against the Spurs, dating to March 16, 1998.

“It’s kind of hard to explain, but we seem to do really well against these guys,” Cassell said.

Milwaukee shot 54.4%, the highest by a San Antonio opponent this season.

The Bucks trailed, 73-70, after three quarters, but started the fourth quarter with an 8-0 run and led the rest of the way. Tim Thomas made a three-point shot that gave the Bucks a 78-73 lead with 9:44 remaining, before San Antonio pulled within 78-76 on Robinson’s three-point play.

Two free throws by Cassell gave Milwaukee a 96-88 lead with 2:48 to play.

The loss was the second at home for the Spurs.

Tim Duncan scored 22 points and had 18 rebounds, Robinson had 21 points and Steve Smith scored 20 for the Spurs (20-5), who are off to the best start in franchise history.

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Toronto 83, Miami 76--Vince Carter had 27 points and 10 rebounds at Toronto, and the Raptors won for the third consecutive time.

The game was played about 30 minutes after Toronto assistant Stan Albeck suffered a stroke and was hospitalized.

Jim Jackson had a team-high 12 points for Miami, which has lost 18 of 21. The Heat shot 39%.

“We can’t seem to generate enough offense,” Miami Coach Pat Riley said. “It was the fourth consecutive game we shot less than 40%.”

Antonio Davis had 12 points and 10 rebounds for Toronto.

The Raptors, who led by nine at halftime, started the third quarter with a 12-4 run. Carter’s jumper and another by Alvin Williams gave Toronto a 65-49 lead with 32 seconds left in the quarter.

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Boston 85, Memphis 80--The Celtics keep finding ways to win despite blowing big leads.

The Celtics committed 25 turnovers and let an 18-point lead disappear before holding on at Boston.

Antoine Walker had 24 points and 11 rebounds, and Paul Pierce scored 20 points for Boston, which leads the Atlantic division by one game over the New Jersey Nets.

“It’s nice to have the confidence to come back and win these games, but we have to learn how to put away teams when we have big leads, or it will cost us,” Walker said.

The Celtics used an 8-0 run in the final 1:30 to win their sixth consecutive home game.

Shane Battier scored 22 points, and Tony Massenberg had 18 for the Grizzlies.

Boston outrebounded Memphis, 61-37.

Memphis went on a 13-0 run to start the fourth quarter and took a 72-66 lead on Massenberg’s two free throws with 8:29 left. The Celtics came back to take a 77-74 lead on a putback by Tony Battie with 3:52 left.

Jason Williams made two free throws to regain the lead for the Grizzlies with 2:52 to play before Boston’s final run.

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Sacramento 133, Phoenix 101--Peja Stojakovic scored 26 points at Sacramento and the Kings ended a two-game slide.

The Kings improved to 14-1 at home and 20-9 overall, even though forward Chris Webber sat out for the third consecutive game because of tendinitis in his left ankle.

Sacramento’s Hedo Turkoglu had 21 points and 10 rebounds. He left briefly in the third quarter after hurting an eye on a flagrant foul by Alton Ford.

Tony Delk led the Suns with 24 points and Shawn Marion scored 18 of his 20 points in the second half. Stephon Marbury had 17 points and six assists.