• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Jennings scores 37 as Bucks beat Knicks

Mar 26, 2011 - 5:37 AM New York, NY (Sports Network) - Brandon Jennings finished with a season-high 37 points as the Milwaukee Bucks topped the slumping New York Knicks, 102-96, at Madison Square Garden.

Andrew Bogut added 21 points and 17 rebounds while Luc Mbah a Moute scored 12 for Milwaukee, which is now two games behind the Indiana Pacers for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.

"The main thing is is that we have to take care of our own business," said Jennings. "Tomorrow we play against Chicago, a team that is No. 1 and has the MVP on their team. We have to go there and take care of business."

Amar'e Stoudemire paced the Knicks with 28 points and nine rebounds. Carmelo Anthony added 25 points with eight boards and Toney Douglas scored 16 in a reserve role, but it wasn't enough to stop a five-game losing streak.

"When we turn things around basketball will be fun again," said Anthony. "We won't have to worry about losing a bunch in a row, we'll all be smiling again and having fun out there."

The Knicks have dropped to 7-11 since acquiring Anthony and currently sit with the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference, just 3 1/2 games ahead of Indiana.

Despite trailing 82-77 entering the fourth, the Knicks slowly cut their deficit, and after a Stoudemire tip-shot 2:15 in their deficit was down to 85-84.

However, the Knicks were unable to take a lead. After trading baskets the Bucks used an 11-2 run to create some distance. Jennings capped the spurt with a pair from the line with 3:08 remaining, and the Knicks never got closer than six until Anthony's free throws with 1.5 seconds remaining accounted for the final margin.

Milwaukee opened the game with a 16-4 run, and after a Mbah a Moute layup and Keyon Dooling three-pointer its lead was 28-13 with 2 1/2 remaining in the quarter. The Knicks rebounded in the closing minutes and Anthony made three from the line with 1.7 seconds remaining to cut the Bucks' lead to 35-24 after one.

Jennings paced Milwaukee with 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting as the Bucks shot 63.6 percent from the field, including 5-of-6 from beyond the arc, in the first.

After Dooling opened up the second with another three-pointer the Knicks responded with an 11-2 run, capped by an Anthony Carter triple, to cut their deficit to 40-35.

The Bucks methodically widened their lead back to double-digits, but after Stoudemire made 1-of-2 from the line and Anthony canned a short jumper, Landry Fields sank 1-of-2 from the line to cut the margin to 58-51 at the half.

The Bucks took the five-point lead into the fourth after a back-and-forth third quarter.

Game Notes

John Salmons scored 11 with eight rebounds and five assists for Milwaukee...The Bucks shot 9-of-18 from beyond the arc and 15-of-19 from the line...New York turned 14 Bucks turnovers into 26 points...Milwaukee never trailed...The Bucks have won six of the past seven meetings with the Knicks.