Bucks beat Knicks, 100-95
MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee’s Carlos Delfino scored a career-high 30 points and Australian Andrew Bogut added 13 points and a game-high 12 rebounds to lead the Bucks past New York 100-95 on Sunday.
Brandon Jennings added 14 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists as the Bucks improved to 28-41, level with Charlotte at 1 1/2 games behind Indiana for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
“It’s the time of the year to make the last run,” Delfino said. “We don’t have too much margin [for error]. We’re trying really hard to get in the playoffs.”
Milwaukee led 32-9 after the first quarter and clung to a 47-41 half-time edge, but never led New York pull even and hung on down the stretch to inflict the Knicks’ fifth loss in their past six games.
“They are frustrated and that is good,” Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni said. “We’re trying to get this done. We’ll get it done. It’s just a matter of staying calm and knowing our problems and working through them.”
The Knicks’ opening quarter was the first time since 1956 against the Fort Wayne Pistons that they failed to produce at least 10 points in the first period. New York had not been kept below 10 in any quarter since November 2007.
“Our offense wasn’t that great, but I don’t worry too much about the offense, honestly, just the defense,” Billups said. “Outside of that first quarter, I thought our defense was pretty good.”
Together with eight 3-pointers in a victory over New Jersey, Delfino has made 14 of his past 22 shots from beyond the arc.
“If he can shoot the ball the way he is, we’ll be a dangerous team going into the postseason,” Bogut said.
Amare Stoudemire led New York with 25 points while Carmelo Anthony added 23 and Chauncey Billups contributed 21 points for the Knicks, who are 7-8 since last month’s blockbuster trade with Denver to obtain Anthony and Billups.
“There’s no time for anybody on the team to panic,” Anthony said. “We’re losing some games that we’re supposed to win, but I feel that it’s a learning process for us.
“I’m not really concerned about where we are as a team or us losing games or winning games. As long as we get better at the things we need to get better at, then I’m cool with that.”
Delfino, who grabbed 11 rebounds, sank two free throws and followed with a 3-point shot to give Milwaukee a 91-84 led with 1:43 remaining.
Jennings sank a jump shot with 26 seconds remaining to put the Bucks on top 95-89 and the Knicks came no closer than three points after that.
“We’re making shots. We’re playing better defense. It’s just the pressure we have that we need to win,” Delfino said.
John Salmons scored 22 points for Milwaukee and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute added 19 points, hitting all 13 of his free throws.
“That’s what we’ve been trying to do since day one,” Salmons said of the triumph. “The Knicks, they are in the playoffs. They have got a spot. For us, we’re not in yet. We’re still fighting.”
New York fell to 35-34, seventh in the Eastern Conference with one fewer triumph than sixth-place Philadelphia.
