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Blazers hope to get back on track in Milwaukee

Jan 31, 2015 - 3:16 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Milwaukee Bucks will put their two-game winning streak on the line Saturday night when they play host to the Portland Trail Blazers at the Bradley Center.

The Bucks, who have won three of their last four, finished off a Florida sweep with wins over the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic.

On Thursday, Milwaukee earned its first victory in Orlando in 10 years with a 115-100 win.

Brandon Knight tallied 16 points, nine assists, five rebounds and four steals to pace the Bucks to their first win in Orlando since Dec. 29, 2004, a stretch that included 17 straight losses.

"It was a great game," said Bucks coach Jason Kidd. "From start to finish, our guys executed the game plan. They shared the ball."

Jerryd Bayless led seven Bucks in double figures with 19 points. Khris Middleton and Jared Dudley added 17 apiece and John Henson posted 12 points and 11 rebounds in the win.

O.J. Mayo scored 13 off the bench and Giannis Antetokounmpo managed 10 points.

The Blazers are struggling. They've dropped two straight and seven of their last nine, plus, the Blazers have lost five in a row as the visitor, including both stops on this current road trip.

After the first visit on the trek was canceled in Brooklyn due to impending snow, Portland lost to a LeBron James-less Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, then to the steaming-hot Atlanta Hawks on Friday.

In between setbacks, Blazers' guard Damian Lillard was passed over for a spot on the Western Conference All-Star team and was not happy about, stating in an Instagram post he felt "disrespected."

The Blazers were valiant against the Hawks, but eventually fell, 105-99.

LaMarcus Aldridge scored 37 points for Portland a day after he was named to the Western Conference All-Star team.

"An incredible individual performance," said Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer. "We tried to make it difficult on him but he still scored 37."

Wesley Matthews added 16 points and Lillard scored 13 with 11 assists for the Blazers.

Neither team led by more than six in the game. The Hawks took the lead for good on Al Horford's jumper midway through the fourth quarter. Later, Horford's rebound and Jeff Teague's long pass over the defense led to a dunk for Paul Millsap at the other end to make it a six-point game with 1:30 remaining.

The Blazers were never closer than four after that.

"It was a very competitive game," said Portland coach Terry Stotts. "Both teams made runs but they made more plays at the end of the game than we did."

The Blazers defeated the Bucks by seven in Portland on Dec. 17 and have won three straight in this series. The teams have split the last 12 meetings in Milwaukee.