By KATE HEDLIN, STATS Writer
The Milwaukee Bucks are in the middle of their longest winning streak in
nearly four years. They have a good chance at extending it as they take on the
struggling Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday at FedEx Forum.
The Bucks (14-14) won their fifth straight game with a 114-107 win over the
San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday. The victory returned the team to .500 for the
first time since Milwaukee was 2-2 on Nov. 6 after a 110-85 loss at Chicago.
Michael Redd scored 36 points and Mo Williams added 23, leading the Bucks in
the come-from-behind win. They trailed by 13 in the third quarter before taking
the lead when Andrew Bogut scored on a put-back of Redd's shot with 5:32 left.
Milwaukee outscored San Antonio 76-40 in the paint and shot a season-high
56.8 percent.
"To score that many points in the paint against a team like San Antonio is
remarkable," coach Terry Stotts said.
This is Milwaukee's longest winning streak since it won eight consecutive
games from Jan. 8-21, 2002.
With Tuesday's win, Milwaukee improved to 6-10 on the road, where the Bucks
will play 10 of their next 15 games.
The Bucks are averaging 114.2 points during their winning streak, with
Williams averaging 25.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 6.6 assists while shooting 52.7
percent (49-for-93) from the field in that span.
Milwaukee has lost its last four games at Memphis and is just 1-4 there
since the Grizzlies moved from Vancouver in 2001.
The fourth-year guard is averaging a career-high 17.3 points and has an
assist-to-turnover ratio of better than 2-to-1.
Memphis, which has the worst record in the NBA at 6-23, is coming off its
fourth straight loss and 13th defeat in the last 15 games following a 116-101
loss to the Washington Wizards on Tuesday.
The Grizzlies gave up 45 points in the first quarter and 77 in the first
half. They used a 15-0 run in the fourth quarter, keyed by seven points from
Chucky Atkins, to pull within 106-94 with 4:03 left, but the Grizzlies never got
any closer.
Rookie Alexander Johnson led Memphis with 23 points and 10 rebounds -- one of
five players to score in double figures -- while Atkins finished with 15 points
off the bench.
It was the fifth straight games the Grizzlies have allowed 100 or more
points. They previously had not allowed 100 or more points in three consecutive
games since April of 2005.
Memphis began the month allowing just 95.8 points per game -- ninth lowest in
the NBA -- but opponents are averaging 100.9 points in December.
Memphis lost to Milwaukee 100-94 on Dec. 8. Hakim Warrick scored 31 points
for the Grizzlies while Ruben Patterson led the Bucks with 30 points.
Updated on Wednesday, Dec 27, 2006 1:53 am, EST
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