Updated: Wednesday, 18 Nov 2009, 10:05 PM CST
Published : Wednesday, 18 Nov 2009, 10:05 PM CST
Milwaukee - Andrew Bogut and Carlos Delfino each scored 21 points, Bogut
also grabbed 11 rebounds, and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the winless
New Jersey Nets 99-85 on Wednesday night.
The short-handed Nets have lost 12 straight for their longest
single-season losing streak in more than 19 years. This one was
painful because Chris Douglas-Roberts scored a career-high 31
points and had 10 rebounds, but the Nets blew a 48-41 halftime lead
by shooting 9 of 38 in the second half.
That made it easy for Bogut, Delfino and rookie Brandon
Jennings, who had 19 points and eight assists in his second game
since a 55-point night on Saturday.
Milwaukee started the second half on a 15-0 run, including
eight by Jennings, and led by as many as 19 points in the fourth
quarter. The Bucks improved to 4-1 on a six-game homestand that
ends Friday.
The Bucks' only real scare came early in the fourth quarter
when Jennings, the 10th pick in this year's draft, ran into a hard
screen and fell awkwardly. He grabbed at his right ankle, but
returned after the timeout.
From there, Jennings, who has double figures in eight of his
first nine games, continued his masterful play, whipping a pass to
Delfino in the corner for a 3 to make it 83-66 as Milwaukee
cruised.
The Nets led by as many as 11 in the first half after
Terrence Williams looked like the stud rookie to watch. He scored
16 second-quarter points and finished with 20.
But Jennings, picked one slot ahead of Williams, came
storming back in the third quarter, pestering the Nets with his
speed.
He made a nifty steal of Douglas-Roberts after
Douglas-Roberts ran down a loose ball on offense and tried to hand
it off to Rafer Alston.
Jennings darted between the two and was gone with the ball
for an easy dunk that left Nets coach Lawrence Frank calling
timeout and yelling at the officials. Jennings wasn't done,
knocking down a 3-pointer moments later to cap the spurt and give
Milwaukee a 56-48 lead.
It's been more misery for the Nets, who last lost at least 12
in a row in a season when they dropped 14 straight in 1990,
according to STATS LLC research.
New Jersey's next chance for a win comes at home against the
Knicks on Saturday before heading out on a four-game West Coast
trip. The NBA record is 17 straight losses to start a season shared
by Miami and the Los Angeles Clippers. Notes: The Nets' longest
losing streak in a season is 16 from Jan. 5-Feb. 5, 1978. ... With
the Nets again dressing just eight players, Frank joked before the
game that he went looking for Bango, the Bucks' mascot, to ask him
if he wanted to wear a New Jersey uniform. ... Bucks F Luc Richard
Mbah a Moute (left foot sprain) missed the game. He's expected to
play Friday against Charlotte.