Jennings, Ellis lead Bucks in 97-88 win over Nets

[December 10, 2012]  NEW YORK (AP) -- Brandon Jennings scored 26 points, Monta Ellis had 24 points and the Milwaukee Bucks withstood Brooklyn's fourth-quarter rally in a 97-88 victory over the Nets on Sunday night.

The Bucks led by 29 points with 6:59 left in the third quarter but Brooklyn got within six after Deron Williams found an open Kris Humphries, who came off the bench for the first time this season, for an uncontested dunk.

Ellis then drove to the basket for a layup to make it 87-79 before the Nets called a timeout with 2:24 left in regulation. On the ensuing play, Gerald Wallace lost his balance and the ball and Milwaukee's Larry Sanders made a reverse layup to extend the Bucks' lead to 10 points. MarShon Brooks, who scored 14 points off the bench for the Nets, then hit a 3-pointer to bring the Nets within seven but Marquis Daniels hit a 3-pointer to make it 92-82 and pretty much put the game out of reach.

Williams had 18 points and eight assists and Wallace added 16 points and 16 rebounds for the struggling Nets who have now lost their last four games.

Milwaukee's starting backcourt outscored Brooklyn's 50-24.

Daniels had 13 points for the Bucks and Ersan Ilyasova added 10 as Milwaukee won its second straight. Jennings also had seven assists and six rebounds.

The Nets looked like they were on their way to snapping out their losing streak, jumping out to an 11-2 lead in the first quarter before Milwaukee coach Scott Skiles called a timeout to settle his team down with 8:46 remaining. It apparently worked as the Bucks outscored Brooklyn 23-7.

Brook Lopez was out again due to a mild sprained right foot and has now missed his last five games. The Nets are 1-4 without their starting center.

Nets coach Avery Johnson tried a new lineup Sunday, benching Humphries in place of Reggie Evans. Evans and Andray Blatche came into the game as Brooklyn's most productive tandem in their lineup with a plus-11.3 differential between offensive and defensive efficiency. Joe Johnson and Evans' 17 efficiency mark as a duo leads the team.

NOTES: New York native Doron Lamb, who was Milwaukee's second-round pick, No. 42 overall, in the 2012 draft, scored 10 points off the bench in his first game back in his hometown.

[Associated Press; By ADRIANO TORRES]

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