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Villanueva's 32 points help Bucks cruise past SuperSonics

Mar 6, 2008 - 5:23 AM By Nick Berenz PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

MILWAUKEE (Ticker) - Charlie Villanueva scored a season-high 32 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as the suddenly explosive Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Seattle SuperSonics, 118-106, on Wednesday night.

Andrew Bogut had 21 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks and Michael Redd chipped in 15 points for Milwaukee, which avoided losing a season high-tying fourth straight contest.

The Bucks, who are 4-4 since the All-Star break, have scored 100-plus points in seven of those eight games. Milwaukee is averaging 105.9 points per game, more than 11 points better than they were averaging (94.4) before the break.

The Bucks got off to one their best starts of the season, matching a season high with 39 points in the first quarter and setting a season best with 69 at intermission. Both totals were in large part to unselfishness that led to a season-high 36 assists in the game.

"Take a photo of that and cherish it because it doesn't happen that often," said Bogut of the pass-happy Bucks. "If we do that, we have a chance to beat most teams."

Villanueva took charge early, matching his season high of 21 by halftime. In his third season out of Connecticut, the 6-11 Villanueva connected on 12-of-26 from the floor - including 3-of-6 from 3-point range. He had all of his 3-pointers as Milwaukee led, 69-54, entering the third quarter.

"I was personally due, I had a couple of my worst games (recently)," Villanueva said. "My teammates kept finding me and once I made a few shots I knew I was going to be hot."

The Bucks, who shot 48 percent (45-of-93), reached their season high in points despite the absence of second-leading scorer Mo Williams (abdominal strain) and rookie forward Yi Jianlian (ankle).

"This speaks volumes about our team. We have a lot of talent on that bench and tonight they proved it," said Bucks forward Desmond Mason, who finished with 16 points.

Rookie Kevin Durant scored 23 points for Seattle but was inadvertently poked in the eye in the first quarter after stealing the ball from Bucks guard Royal Ivey. Durant was taken to the locker room but returned midway through the second quarter.

"Every time it looked like we were clawing back into it, they had the answer," Sonics coach P.J. Carlesimo said. "We just didn't have enough energy to compete with them."

The leading candidate for Rookie of the Year, Durant also was involved in another incident when his head collided with Redd late in the third quarter, causing Milwaukee's leading scorer to leave the game with a nose laceration.

Redd's injury required several stitches in the Bucks' locker room. The team announced he is day-to-day.

Damien Wilkins and Earl Watson each had 17 points for the SuperSonics, who shot 46.5 percent (40-of-86) and have lost six of their last seven games. Seattle also is just 6-24 away from Key Arena this season.