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Milwaukee downs depleted Magic

Dec 5, 2010 - 8:22 AM Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - Andrew Bogut returned to the Bucks' lineup at the right time, posting 31 points and 18 rebounds to carry Milwaukee to a 96-85 win over the Dwight Howard-less Orlando Magic.

Bogut was sidelined the previous five games due to back spasms and saw plenty of easy baskets without the two-time reigning Defensive Player of the Year clogging up the middle.

"He got going early offensively, we got him some easy baskets inside, he made some nice moves," Bucks head coach Scott Skiles said. "They were under-manned [so] Bogut took advantage of that. We gave him the ball early in the game, you could tell right away he was engaged, he was able to get some easy ones and also had a couple of his usual left-handed hooks that he got in there. Overall for the time he was out there, he was very, very good."

Howard, along with forward Mickael Pietrus and guards Jameer Nelson and J.J. Redick, missed their second straight game with a stomach virus.

The Magic were able to pull out their sixth straight win in Detroit Friday despite being short-handed, but failed to make it seven against Milwaukee, which got 27 points, seven rebounds and six assists out of Brandon Jennings.

Vince Carter scored a team-high 20 points for Orlando, while Quentin Richardson netted 16 in defeat.

Milwaukee never trailed but kept the game close with shoddy free throw shooting down the stretch.

Jennings' three-pointer with seven minutes left in regulation pushed the margin to 84-72, though Rashard Lewis answered at the other end with a trey of his own.

Orlando essentially decided to foul from then on, focusing specifically on Bogut, who made only 5-of-14 from the line in the final stanza.

The misses helped the visitors pull within 87-83 on Richardson's three-ball with 2:16 left, but Bogut finally made two from the stripe and the Magic connected on just one field goal the rest of the way.

The Bucks led 24-16 after the first quarter, 49-42 at the break and 69-62 after an evenly played third stanza.

"We were just trying to stay in the game," Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy said. "It was taking some time off the clock so we tried to speed the game up.

"Even if he makes one, they're not coming down and taking 12, 14, 16 seconds off the clock. We're adding possessions to the game. We were down. To me, it was you had a guy shooting less than 50 percent at the line and we needed possessions. It was a no-brainer to me."

Game Notes

The Bucks finished 23-of-43 from the foul line, though they won the battle on the glass, 54-38 and had 22 second-chance points to Orlando's eight...John Salmons netted 16 points for Milwaukee...Lewis scored 13 in the loss.