The Milwaukee Bucks assembled Thursday afternoon for practice at the Rose Garden for a perspective check.

Saddled with the first two-game losing streak of the season, the Bucks could not have begun their four-game Western Conference trip in worse - or more disparate - fashion.

They were just two points down in the fourth quarter Tuesday night against the Los Angeles Lakers before losing by 19. The margin of defeat was much worse than reality suggested.

But Wednesday night at Phoenix, the Bucks trailed by 36 points before eventually losing by 20. That margin was far too kind as a final representation of the no-effort, awful performance offered against the Suns.

As might be expected, the off-day preparation for the game against Portland tonight was contentious at times. As he came off the court, forward Darvin Ham only half-joked about the need to watch his back for the way he went after some of his teammates during the two-hour session.

"We're a little vinegary," coach George Karl said. "We're a little (ticked) off."

For the 14th consecutive time, the Bucks dropped a game on the Suns' home court, but perhaps none during this odious streak was more embarrassing than the 104-84 loss Wednesday night at America West Arena.

With an effort more befitting a lottery team than an Eastern Conference contender, the Bucks fell behind by 30 points with 4 minutes left in the third quarter and eventually trailed by as much as 36. They did not defend, pass or bring the slightest sense of urgency against the Suns (9-7). Consequently, the Bucks (9-3), halfway through a difficult Western Conference trip, are riding their longest losing streak of the season at two games.

"Our goal this season was to not lose two in a row," said Glenn Robinson, whose modest output of 16 points led the Bucks. "Now we've lost two in a row. We've got to come out the next game and play it like it's a playoff game. That's the way good teams do it."

It is early, yet not too early for the Milwaukee Bucks to understand that a sizable gap exists between their current status as the best of the Eastern Conference and the reality of the Los Angeles Lakers' consecutive championship rings.

If this was a preview of the 2002 NBA Finals, the Bucks have much to learn in the next 71 games about managing a fourth quarter against the highest level of competition.

Wasting an early 15-point lead, the Bucks were eventually ground to mush in the final quarter of a 104-85 loss to the Lakers Tuesday night before a capacity crowd of 18,997 at the Staples Center.

"We didn't have enough confidence to win the game," Bucks coach George Karl said. "And when it went the wrong way, it went the wrong way fast."

Did it ever.

As the Lakers were trampling the 76ers during the Finals, there was a universal opinion that the Bucks would have provided at least more entertaining competition. Could the Bucks have won two games from the Lakers? At least the possibility of triple-digit shootouts existed. The Bucks were not only unafraid to run with the Lakers, that is how they beat them twice last season.

And tonight, when the Bucks and Lakers play for the first time this season when it counts, few are precluding the possibility that they could meet in June, when it really counts.

A national television audience will have the chance to see the teams with the league's best records - the 12-1 Lakers vs. the 9-1 Bucks - stage what could, barring catastrophic injury, be a prelude to the 2002 Finals. No one in the West appears capable of stopping the Lakers, while the Bucks might again be on a collision course with Philadelphia.

The Milwaukee Bucks head out on a challenging four-game western trip with the best record in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association. But as their coach bemoans everything from soup to nuts, there is one important factor to keep in mind.

"My (complaining) has an optimism to it," said coach George Karl.

Those words will undoubtedly be comforting for the Milwaukee players who, by hook or crook, have managed to win nine of 10 games, yet will need to be fitted for saddles should the coach continue to ride them with such vigor.

What is on the coach's mind as he led the team west for a showdown with the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center Tuesday night and later meetings with Phoenix, Portland and Seattle?

While any number of reasons could be presented by the Bradley Center's board in defense of its proposed $75 million renovation of the 13-year-old facility, none matter more than the Milwaukee Bucks' payroll.

With the fifth highest payroll in the NBA and losses of 10 million dollars last year a sensible upgrade of the Bradley Center could help those who manage the facility make it possible for its major tenant to remain viable for years to come.

From Seattle Times news services: The Milwaukee Bucks and the Sonics had legitimate talks recently about swapping Glen Robinson and Sam Cassell for Sonics point guard Gary Payton. However, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer, it was doomed from the start.

One reason is because Payton isn't interested in waiving his 15 percent trade kicker, approximately $1.86 million. Another is that the Bucks' owner, Herb Kohl, wasn't interested in paying that on top of Payton's $12.4 million salary.

The talks probably took place because of Milwaukee Coach George Karl's frustration with both Robinson and Cassell. Karl is upset with Robinson because he believes Robinson has been lax in his conditioning after returning from injury. As for Cassell, Karl believes he is still looking for ways to get paid more money instead of just playing basketball.

With the Milwaukee Bucks still winning games, backup forward Darvin Ham said he doesn't see a need to rush off the injured reserve list.

So Ham and the Bucks' front office decided to wait a few more days for Ham's ailing knee to heal.

"We've been playing some ugly basketball, but we've been able to pull out wins," Ham said. "We're just taking it day by day; we're not in a rush or anything like that."

Ham has been on the injured list since undergoing knee surgery Oct. 22. Although he is antsy sitting on the bench in street clothes, Ham said he is in a much better situation this year than he was last year, when he appeared in just 29 games due to displaced bones in his left foot.

"I just have to be patient," Ham said. "It's not like last year when I was going to be out four months. We've waited four weeks so far, so another day won't hurt me."

Don't mistake Ham's patience with a lack of desire to get back to action. He is still looking forward to mixing it up with his new teammates, especially power forward Anthony Mason.

Glenn Robinson scored 19 points and Sam Cassell had four in the final 30 seconds as the Milwaukee Bucks beat the host Toronto Raptors 78-75 on Thursday night.

The Eastern Conference-leading Bucks have won four straight to improve to 8-1, their best start since 1979-80.

Vince Carter scored 26 points for the Raptors, who have lost two straight at home after winning their previous three games on the road.

Toronto's Hakeem Olajuwon, who had 20 rebounds and 14 points in his last game, didn't play in the second half, finishing with just two points and three rebounds.