Allen's 47 leads Bucks to victory

MILWAUKEE (AP) - 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 3-pointers, and the slumping Milwaukee Bucks took a step toward earning a playoff berth by beating Charlotte 98-91 Sunday.

"Ray just put them on his shoulders and wouldn't let them lose," Hornets coach Paul Silas said. "That's what great players are supposed to do."

Allen's eight 3s after halftime tied an NBA record for 3-pointers in a half and his 47 points were the most by a Bucks player since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored 50 against Portland on Jan. 19, 1975.

And Allen basically did it on one leg.

He has been playing all season with knee tendinitis and an atrophied quadriceps muscle in his left leg - the result of Philadelphia's Eric Snow banging into him in 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 NBA history, snapped a five-game losing skid and won for just the fifth time in 20 games.

Allen was forced to step up with Sam Cassell curtailed by a toe injury and limited to a season-low two points, and Glenn Robinson slowed by a stiff neck.

"Ray Allen was playing out of his mind," Hornets forward P.J. Brown said.

Allen took turns schooling defenders David Wesley and Stacey Augmon, neither of whom could keep up.

"There's nothing wrong with me," Wesley said when asked why he played only 11 minutes in the second half. "When a guy is that hot, you just have to do something else to try to cool him off. Nobody could do that today."

The Bucks (40-40) are scrapping with Toronto and Indiana for the final two playoff spots in the East. Milwaukee owns tiebreakers over both the Raptors and Pacers.

Allen looked nothing like the player who's been bothered by a bum left knee all season, costing him 13 games and robbing him of his explosive first step - until after the game, when he

hobbled around the locker room.

"I'm struggling right now, my knee's throbbing," Allen said after logging 44 minutes.

Allen, whose previous best was 43 points, topped the franchise mark of nine 3s, set two months ago by guard Michael Redd.

Coach George Karl didn't want to have to play Allen so much, but he had no choice. He said he hopes to get him some rest Tuesday night against Toronto.

"I think it's just going to be done with Band-Aids and guts," Karl said. "Guts and heart and attitude. I thought you saw a great performance."

Pacers 86, Wizards 80

Jermaine O'Neal scored 26 points, and Reggie Miller hit a big 3-pointer with 3 minutes left as Indiana won its third straight.

Brad Miller added 17 points and 11 rebounds for the visiting Pacers.

76ers 95, Magic 89

Despite missing three injured starters, including Allen Iverson, Philadelphia clinched a postseason berth behind Eric Snow's 22 points and Dikembe Mutombo's 18 points and 12 rebounds.

The 76ers have won three straight and four of five to tie host Orlando for fourth place in the East. Tracy McGrady had 31 points and nine rebounds to lead the Magic, who lost their third in a row.

Raptors 101, Nets 82

Morris Peterson scored 24 points as Toronto held onto sole possession of seventh place in the Eastern Conference with a rout of New Jersey at Air Canada Centre.

Antonio Davis added 14 points for the Raptors, who have won 11 of 12 since losing Vince Carter to season-ending knee surgery.

The Nets, already assured of the top seed in the East, rested their starters for most of the game.

Knicks 94, Heat 67

Kurt Thomas scored 20 points and Allan Houston 19 as New York, playing without suspended guard Latrell Sprewell, snapped a four-game losing streak.

Before the game, the visiting Knicks suspended Sprewell for missing the morning shootaround. Sprewell, who had started every game this season, was with the team but not in uniform.

Miami lost for the 10th time in 14 games, and coach Pat Riley was ejected for the first time this season.

Grizzlies 98, Rockets 95

Shane Battier scored 19 points, and Will Solomon made two free throws to break a tie with 4 seconds left as Memphis won for only the second time in 14 games at Compaq Center.

Houston was missing three starters, including top scorer Steve Francis.