Jennings, Ellis lead Bucks past Pacers 99-85
MILWAUKEE — Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis scored 16 points each to help the Milwaukee Bucks cruise to a 99-85 victory over the struggling Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night.
Beno Udrih had nine points, 10 assists and six rebounds for the Bucks, who shot 42 percent from the field and improved to 2-2 at home.
Tyler Hansbrough scored 17 points for the Pacers, while Gerald Green and Paul George added 12 points apiece. Indiana, which shot 38 percent, lost its fifth straight on the road after a season-opening win at Toronto.
The Bucks scored the first seven points of the game and led throughout. Their lead was as high as 27 in the second quarter and 32 early in the third before they played their reserves throughout the fourth.
The Pacers’ offense has struggled so far this season as the team adjusts to playing without Danny Granger, its leading scorer of the past five seasons. Granger is out for about three months with a patella problem in his left knee.
Tobias Harris scored the first five points in the Bucks’ opening spurt. Milwaukee, which lost all three games to Indiana last season, also had a 10-0 run midway through the quarter and held a 33-17 advantage at the end of the period.
The Bucks led 60-34 lead at halftime on 48 percent shooting. Indiana, meanwhile, shot just 32 percent in the first half. Milwaukee’s lead was 82-53 heading into the fourth.
The bad blood between the Bucks and Pacers, who were involved in a couple of ugly on-court altercations last season, continued Wednesday night when Larry Sanders was called for a flagrant foul on Hansbrough in the the third quarter. The foul initially left Hansbrough sprawled on the court but he quickly jumped to his feet and ran toward the Bucks’ forward. The two were quickly separated and Hansbrough hit one of two technical free throws.
NOTES: Indiana’s George Hill was whistled for a technical foul for arguing as time expired in the first quarter. . Former NBA player, coach and general manager Mike Dunleavy, father of Bucks G-F Mike Dunleavy Jr., attended the game. . Ellis started despite being bothered by a right thumb injury he sustained in Monday’s victory over Philadelphia. “It was fairly significant yesterday, but not as bad today,” Bucks coach Scott Skiles said prior to the game. .Bucks F Drew Gooden was inactive for the game. He has yet to appear in a contest this season. “We’re kind of at a numbers game right now,” Skiles said. “Unless there are definite injuries, the way we are set up right now, we have to have a big guy on the inactive list. We can’t have a guard on there because we don’t have enough guards.”