Although Rafer Alston has played a combined total of only 5 minutes in the last four games, Milwaukee Bucks coach George Karl insisted the backup point guard wasn't in his doghouse.

"As a coaching staff, we're trying to find out what's best for the team," Karl said Wednesday after a brief practice at the Cousins Center.

At the same time, the Bucks have resorted to using shooting guard Ray Allen as Sam Cassell's primary backup. Such was the case again Tuesday night, when the Bucks lost at Miami without Alston getting off the bench.

Though Karl said the primary issue is his ongoing search for the right rotation 18 games into the season, he did say he didn't like the way Alston conducted himself last Saturday night in a blowout victory against New Jersey.

Assistant coach Terry Stotts, who was filling in while Karl was away because of the death of his father, gave Alston 4 minutes in the fourth quarter. Karl said the film showed that Alston had too much playground in his game during mop-up time.