Cassell made 12-of-20 shots, including 3-of-6 from 3-point range, helping the Bucks shoot 47 percent (42-of-89). Glenn Robinson added 21 points and Tim Thomas chipped in 18 for Milwaukee, which limited Charlotte to 39 percent (35-of-91).
"I made shots tonight," Cassell said. "I just made shots, that's all."
"I can go inside or outside and I was just floating up there on the court," Thomas added. "Guys were swinging the ball and I knocked down shots."
 Milwaukee's Darvin Ham goes up for the Ham Slamwich. Garrett W. Ellwood NBAE/Getty Images |
"When we went to our zone, it got us back in the game," Charlotte coach Paul Silas said. "Our man-to-man wasn't going very well tonight. The only way we competed was when we went to our zone."
"I thought in the first half we played with as much energy as we've shown all year," Milwaukee coach George Karl said. "Then we were able to hang on during the fourth quarter and made enough threes to win it."
Lee Nailon scored eight of his 24 points in the fourth quarter and pulled down nine rebounds for the Hornets. David Wesley added 21 points and six assists and Elden Campbell collected 16 points and seven rebounds.
"They shot the ball very well and had a lot of good looks," Wesley said. "Sam Cassell really hit some tough shots."
"It was an off game for us," Campbell added. "We have had some good efforts in back-to-back games. Tonight was a letdown for us. We're going in the wrong direction, it seems. We'll just learn from our mistakes and try to improve for the next game."
Hornets point guard Baron Davis, who bruised his right knee Wednesday in a collision with Washington's Michael Jordan, aggravated the injury early in the third quarter and did not return. He is considered doubtful for Saturday's game against the Wizards.
"Baron does a lot of things for us, especially penetrate," Wesley said. "When you don't have that, but you are used to it, it's hard to adjust in seconds. We're going to have to kick up the scoring and penetrating, especially if Baron doesn't play the next game."
Milwaukee went on a 21-4 run to take a 56-33 lead with just under four minutes left in the second quarter. Paced by Cassell's 17 points, the Bucks took a 60-42 cushion into intermission.
"Sam played well tonight," Karl said. "He played great early, which jump-started the night for us."
"The first half was our demise," Silas said. "We didn't play well in the first half. We didn't rebound well. We just didn't come with it tonight."
Wesley had 15 points in the first half to lead the Hornets.
"They really couldn't get over the hump in the second half," said Bucks guard Michael Redd, who started in place of injured All-Star Ray Allen and scored 10 points. "We hit big shots in the fourth quarter to hold them off. This was one of our best games of the year, especially on the road.
"I think these types of games, the types when you play teams that are as good or better than you, are very important to win. They give you an intensity and an attitude that you can carry through to following games."