Cassell spent just over a season with New Jersey before getting traded to the Bucks early in the 1998-99 campaign. He torched his former team from the start, making 5-of-9 shot in the first quarter, when Milwaukee shot 58 percent (14-of-24) and built a 30-17 cushion.
"My teammates did a nice job of getting me open and getting me the ball," said Cassell, who made 13-of-21 shots overall, including 2-of-3 3-pointers.
 Anthony Mason was big for the Bucks against the Nets. Gary Dineen NBAE/Getty Images |
Stotts is on the sidelines in place of George Karl, who is not with the team due to the death of his father.
The Bucks trailed by a basket before closing the first quarter on 24-9 run led by Cassell, who collected nine points and two assists during the stretch.
The Nets were held to 28 percent (7-of-25) shooting in the opening period and never recovered, suffering their third consecutive road loss.
"This is another thing to learn from," New Jersey coach Byron Scott said. "This the type of test we need against one of the best teams in the East, we are nowhere near (the Bucks)."
Ray Allen had 21 points and eight rebounds and Glenn Robinson added 13 for the Bucks, who had a commanding 57-43 rebounding advantage. Ervin Johnson grabbed a season-high 18 boards and Anthony Mason -- another ex-Net -- pulled down 14.
"We rebounded well tonight and got the ball upcourt," Stotts said. "It was good to see Ray get in there and get eight rebounds, we want our guards to start rebounding better."
Milwaukee finished shooting 49 percent (41-of-84) and made 7-of-15 3-pointers. Allen made 8-of-13 shots, including 4-of-5 from beyond the arc.
"We shot the ball well and that was the difference," Cassell said. "You can run 100 different plays but if you don't hit shots it doesn't matter. When we shoot the ball well it gets out whole team going. We just didn't force shots and when we had open looks we knocked them down."
The Bucks had a 54-37 halftime advantage and had their largest lead, 69-48, on a jumper by Cassell with 6:53 left in the third.
New Jersey responded with a 13-4 run to close the gap, but Milwaukee scored the final seven points of the quarter capped by a 3-pointer by Cassell with three seconds left.
The Nets never got closer than 15 in the final 12 minutes and lost for the fourth time in seven games since opening the season 9-3.
New Jersey shot just 33 percent (30-of-90) from the floor, made 5-of-17 3-pointers and just 14-of-22 free throws.
"They really didn't pressure us or anything like that, they just played harder than we did," Scott said. "We got into a jump shooting game and took too many quick shots."
Keith Van Horn scored 15 points and Jason Kidd added 14 and six assists. The duo combined to make just 12-of-29 shots, including 3-of-11 from 3-point range.
Todd MacCulloch scored 13 points and Lucious Harris chipped in 12 off the bench for the Nets, who have lost the last six meetings with Milwaukee.
"We didn't play well at all," Scott said. "The one thing I told our guys is that we are a pretty good team and every team is going to come out after us the way they did tonight."