MILWAUKEE, December 29 (AP) -- Vince Carter scored eight of his 23 points in the final four minutes, Jason Kidd added 11 of his 17 in the fourth quarter, and the New Jersey Nets beat the Milwaukee Bucks 97-95 on Saturday night.
Richard Jefferson had 19 for the Nets, who have won four of five. Kidd finished with 15 assists but six turnovers.
Michael Redd led Milwaukee with 35 points. Mo Williams, on his bobblehead night, had 24 points, 20 in the first half, before fouling out with 2:03 remaining. The Bucks have lost five of six.
The game was close throughout, with neither team leading by more than six. Kidd hit some big shots late, including a 3-pointer from the right wing with 1:33 remaining as the shot clock horn sounded to put New Jersey up 88-86.
Yi Jianlian tied it at 88 with a jumper, but Carter hit a reverse layup with 55 seconds left, and Malik Allen sank a 20-footer with 23.1 seconds remaining to make it 92-88 and put New Jersey up to stay.
Congratulations to Michael Hall of East Troy, the proud new owner of a 2008 Chevrolet Malibu. Hall won the vehicle after sinking a half-court shot in the Chevy Super Shot 2007-2008 Midwest Airlines Skyshots Competition at halftime of tonight’s game. Hall hit nothin’ but net from mid-court just seconds after besting his opponent in a free-throw competition for a shot at the car. Hall will receive the vehicle at an upcoming Bucks home game.
Milwaukee fell to 9-4 at home following tonight’s game, the team’s last at the Bradley Center in 2007.
Despite 7 ties at that point, New Jersey did not hold a lead until 3:08 remained in the first half (39-37).
The Bucks fell to 1-10 in games where they are out-rebounded by their opponent. New Jersey grabbed 40 rebounds to Milwaukee’s 37.
The Bucks also fell to 1-7 when their opponent makes at least half of its shots. New Jersey was an even 50% from the field tonight, sinking 40 of 80 shots.
The Nets dished a season-best 31 assists. Their previous high was 29 vs. Memphis (11/27/2007).
Jason Kidd’s 15 assists were the most by a Bucks opponent this season. It was also one shy of Kidd’s season best (16 vs. Detroit, 12/2/2007).
Kidd complemented his 15 assists with 17 points to record a double-double.
Neither team was particularly effective from 3-point range tonight. Milwaukee (3 of 12) and New Jersey (5 of 20) each shot 25% from 3-point land.
The Bucks struggles against the Atlantic Division continued tonight. Milwaukee is 1-4 (.200) against the Atlantic.
Guard party: Michael Redd and Mo Williams both hit their first three shots, combining for 13 of the Bucks’ first 17 points in the first quarter. The Bucks’ backcourt tandem combined for 19 of the team’s 25 first-quarter points.
Redd and Williams continued to dominate for the entire first half, scoring all but 10 of the Bucks’ 43 points by halftime.
After a season-high 12 steals Friday night against Chicago, the Bucks nearly matched it with 10 more tonight.
Michael Redd surpassed 30 points for the second straight game, the sixth time he’s done so this season. The Bucks are 3-3 overall and 2-1 at the Bradley Center in those games.
Redd’s 35 points were his second most of the season.
Click "play" on the video player to the right to watch exclusive locker room video from Saturday's game against New Jersey. Or use the links below to watch and listen to archived video and audio.
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(On tonight’s loss…)
“It’s certainly tough to swallow. We seem to be failing maybe in an area or two game-to-game. It’s not always the same repeating story. I thought we had a heck of a time securing a defensive rebound for a stretch there. That might have been our Achilles heel this evening, giving them 17 to 5 in second chance points. That’s probably the difference in the ballgame.”
(On the team’s effort tonight...)
“I was pretty pleased with the effort. I thought we laid it on the line going against a pretty talented team. Certainly the point guard (Jason Kidd), shooting guard (Vince Carter) and small forward (Richard Jefferson) on that team are a pretty formidable trio and they came ready to play. For the most part we battled with those guys most of the night. The energy I didn’t really have a problem with.”
Bobby Simmons
(On tonight’s loss…)
“I think we’re still making adjustments. We tried to execute the game plan but it didn’t work tonight.”
(On the confidence in the locker room…)
“Confidence in the guys is good. It’s just a matter of winning games and we try to do whatever we can to win.”
(On what went wrong tonight…)
“Finishing. There were a lot of rebounds we should have had that could have changed the game. It’s just a matter of finishing games.”
Mo Williams
(On fouling out at the end of the game…)
“It’s big, but it happens in this game. That’s an opportunity if a guy steps up. We fouled and fouled, we just didn’t get the breaks that we needed.”
(On losing another close game and how the team’s responding…)
”We just have to keep fighting. It’ll fall our way one day. Guys are not going at each other. Guys still want to turn things around. It’s not like we’re getting blown out, they’re close games and we’re playing well. Close games are about catching breaks.”
(On playing against Kidd…)
”What’s there to say about him? He’s a Hall-of-Fame player, one of the best point guards to ever play the game.”
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