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Delfino leads the way as Bucks top Nets

Jan 30, 2011 - 5:55 AM Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - Carlos Delfino finished with 21 points in a rare start as the Milwaukee Bucks topped the New Jersey Nets, 91-81, at the Bradley Center.

Andrew Bogut added 17 points, 18 rebounds and seven blocks while Corey Maggette, Ersan Ilyasova and Keyon Dooling each finished with 14 points to round out the starters for the Bucks, who have won three straight, including Friday's overtime victory in Toronto.

"Early in the game it looked like a typical back-to-back," Bucks coach Scott Skiles said. "We didn't come out as sharp as we would have liked, but we battled through it.

"We picked up our defense, the ball movement was good and we were able to get some shots to go down. Overall, everyone contributed and we were able to pull out a good win."

The Bucks played without guards Earl Boykins and John Salmons, but did see the return of guard Brandon Jennings who missed the teams last 19 games with a fractured foot.

Jennings had not played since undergoing surgery on December 20 to repair a break to the fifth metatarsal in his left foot. He suffered the injury in the Bucks' 95-86 loss to the Utah Jazz on December 18. Jennings finished with only two points in over 11 minutes of court time.

Brook Lopez led the Nets with 26 points while Anthony Morrow added 16 points in a reserve role for the New Jersey, which has dropped two straight.

Milwaukee led 45-37 at the half, and after Ilyasova made 1-of-2 from the line in the opening minutes of the third the Bucks lead was 10, 56-46.

Delfino drained a three-pointer at 5:07 to put the game at 61-50, and added a pair from the line on the next Milwaukee possession to expand the Bucks' lead to 63-50.

Bogut's hook shot with 2:41 remaining in the quarter put the game at 68-54, however, Lopez's basket at 1:51 started a 7-0 New Jersey run to end the third, cutting the Nets' deficit down to 68-61 entering the final stanza.

The Bucks quickly widened their lead back to double-digits with another Delfino three at 9:48 in the fourth, and their lead never fell below eight down the stretch.

New Jersey held a 25-22 lead after the first, however, Milwaukee responded in the second, capitalizing on a 26.7 percent shooting quarter from the Nets, and took a 45-37 lead at the break.

Game Notes

Travis Outlaw and Sasha Vujacic each scored nine for the Nets while Devin Harris dished out a game-high 16 assists to go along with 10 points in a starting role for New Jersey...Kris Humphries grabbed 10 rebounds...The Nets committed 11 turnovers that the Bucks turned into 14 points.