By MICHAEL HUNT
of the Journal Sentinel staff
Last Updated: March 13, 2002
Salves come in a lot of different sizes and containers. The Milwaukee Bucks were pleased their soothing ointment was packaged in a giant red-and-black pass-around tube.

Bucks-Bulls


Photo/David Joles
Sam Cassell had 19 points and six assists and was able to rest his bad toe in the fourth quarter.


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Standings | Statistics



Allowing the healing powers of the Chicago Bulls to wash over them like warm sulfur springs, the Bucks beat on their neighbors, 110-81, Tuesday night at the Bradley Center as if they were taking out two months' worth of frustration on the league's worst team.

Or having a leisurely picnic.

"They were getting everything out there," Bulls forward Charles Oakley said. "It was like a cookout. Everything. Barbecue, chicken, wing dings, shrimp cocktail, chips, dip, potato salad. They had a party and we had to watch."

Yes, the Bucks (36-27) were certainly enjoying themselves at the expense of the Bulls (16-49), almost as much as the epicurean Mr. Oakley's gastronomic metaphor.

Was it a case of a good team finally awaking from its underachieving ways, or a bad team rolling over in the second game on consecutive nights?

"Probably a little bit of both," Bucks coach George Karl said. "Tonight was the best flow we've had in a long time. I don't care who we were playing against. We created that by moving the ball."

After losing in overtime to Cleveland and getting blown out by Sacramento in their last two games, the Bucks will take it, move on and prepare for their showdown at home Saturday night with Detroit, which they tied for the Central Division lead with the victory against Chicago. The only negative from a game in which the Bucks held the Bulls without a field goal for nearly 10 minutes was another round of nagging injuries.

Ray Allen, limited for most of the season by a sore left knee, left the game after playing 29 minutes because of a hamstring pull. Karl said he did not think the injury suffered by Allen, who scored 20 points, was serious.

"I think with three days' rest, he'll be fine," Karl said.

And with the luxury of the rare blowout, in which the Bucks led by as many as 36 points, Sam Cassell (19 points) was also able to retire to the locker room after 31 minutes to ice his sore big toe.

Otherwise, the Bucks rocked and rolled like the old days, running their offense at its formerly breakneck pace because Anthony Mason was active and getting his shots off quickly. With 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists, Mason had perhaps his best game since joining the Bucks at the end of training camp.

"We concentrated on speeding the game up," Mason said. "We got a lot of open shots and the opportunity to score inside. The team needs to play quick. If I don't take my opportunity quick, it slows the game down. This team is better playing quick. It's something we try to concentrate on. It was a great win because we played a complete game. We had the habit of playing well in the first half, or playing well in the second half. Tonight, I thought we had a concerted effort of playing well the entire game."

The Bucks broke open the game in the third quarter with a 20-2 run. Chicago failed to score a basket from 4:07 in the third quarter until 5:33 in the fourth. By then, the Bucks were up by 36 points.

The Bucks placed three others in double-figured scoring, including Glenn Robinson (16 points, 11 rebounds, six assists) and Michael Redd, who led everyone with 21 points off the bench.

With sixth man Tim Thomas unable to play for the second consecutive game with a strained knee, the contribution from Redd was essential.

"Any time you can get 21 points on 14 shots, there's a lot of quality to that performance," Karl said.

With his team struggling for the last six weeks, Karl was asked if this game might be the breakthrough turnaround the Bucks have sought.

"Like I said at the last press conference, we're having a good year that we want to push into a great year," Karl said. "We have an opportunity to do that."