Allen Does His Share for the Bucks

In the midst of the most trying season of his NBA career, Ray Allen had the game of his life.

Allen scored a career-high 47 points thanks to a club-record 10 three-point baskets, and the slumping Milwaukee Bucks took a step toward earning a playoff berth by beating the Charlotte Hornets, 98-91, Sunday at Milwaukee.

“Ray just put them on his shoulders and wouldn’t let them lose,” Hornet Coach Paul Silas said. “That’s what great players are supposed to do.”

Allen’s eight three-point baskets after halftime tied an NBA record for three-pointers in a half and his 47 points were the most by a Buck player since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored 50 against Portland on Jan. 19, 1975.

Allen has been playing all season with knee tendinitis and an atrophied thigh muscle in his left leg--the result of Philadelphia’s Eric Snow banging into him during Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals last year.

“That’s the confidence I think I needed, working through having the injured knee, and the confidence my team needed,” Allen said.

The Bucks, in danger of falling from Eastern Conference favorite to the draft lottery in one of the biggest collapses in league history, ended a five-game losing streak and won for only the fifth time in 20 games.

The Bucks (40-40) are battling with Toronto and Indiana for the final two playoff spots in the East.

Philadelphia 95, Orlando 89--The injury-depleted 76ers are playing playoff-caliber basketball at just the right time.

Despite playing without three injured starters, including Allen Iverson, Philadelphia clinched a postseason berth by beating the Magic at Orlando, Fla., behind Eric Snow’s 22 points and Dikembe Mutombo’s 18 points and 12 rebounds.

The 76ers have won three consecutive games and four of their last five to tie Orlando for fourth place in the Eastern Conference.

In addition to Iverson, sidelined by a broken left hand, the 76ers were without Aaron McKie (scratched cornea) and Derrick Coleman (hyperextended left knee).

“This is about as satisfying a win as we’ve had,” 76er Coach Larry Brown said. “Plus, we played as a team, which was the best part.”

Indiana 86, Washington 80--For a while, it seemed the Pacers might have to spend the summer living with the fact that they were locked out of the playoffs by the Wizards. Jermaine O’Neal wouldn’t let it happen. Neither would Reggie Miller.

O’Neal scored 26 points and Miller made a key three-point basket with three minutes left at to play at Washington as the Pacers kept alive their hopes of making the playoffs.

Toronto 101, New Jersey 82--The Raptors held onto sole possession of seventh place in the Eastern Conference by routing the Nets at Toronto.

The Raptors, who have won 11 of 12 since losing Vince Carter to season-ending knee surgery, remain a game ahead of Indiana and Milwaukee for the final two playoff spots.

New York 94, Miami 67--Kurt Thomas scored 20 points and Allan Houston added 19 as the Knicks, playing without suspended guard Latrell Sprewell, won at Miami.

Before the game, the Knicks suspended Sprewell for missing the morning shoot-around.

Memphis 98, Houston 95--Will Solomon and Stromile Swift made key free throws in the final four seconds at Houston. The Rockets were missing three starters, including their top two scorers in Steve Francis and Cuttino Mobley. Center Kelvin Cato also sat out.