NBA – Delfino’s career-high 30 helps play-off chasing Bucks send Knicks to fifth defeat in six games

MILWAUKEE (NBA) - Anyone that saw Carlos Delfino and Brandon Jennings tear apart the New York Knicks on Sunday will understand why the Milwaukee Bucks are still on the outside of the NBA play-off picture looking in.

Both players missed a lot of games this season with injuries, contributing to the Bucks struggles.

Argentina international Delfino hit six three-pointers and Jennings finished an assist shy of a triple-double as Milwaukee beat the New York Knicks, 100-95.

Milwaukee won for just the 28th time this season but are tied for ninth with Charlotte in the Eastern Conference and just a game and a half behind Indiana, who hold the last play-off spot.

"We're making shots, we're playing better defense," said Delfino, who played for Argentina at last summer's FIBA World Championship.

The sharpshooter missed two and a half months with a concussion.

"It's just the pressure we have that we need to win, it's the time of the year to make the last run,” he said.

"We don't have too much margin [for error]. We're trying really hard to get in the play-offs."

Jennings had 14 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists.

New York, who pulled the trigger on a deal that brought Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups to the Knicks from Denver before the trade deadline, lost for the fifth time in six games.

The club is now 35-34 with seven losses and eight defeats since Anthony's arrival.

Utah fell 110-108 at Houston in a battle between sides trying to reach the Western Conference play-offs.

Houston improved to 37-24 with a triple-double from Kyle Lowry.

He poured in 28 points, dished out 10 assists and grabbed 11 rebounds.

Houston leapfrogged Utah (36-34) into ninth place with the win.

They trail eighth-place Memphis by one and a half games.

Andrea Bargnani led Toronto to an upset of Oklahoma City, scoring 23 points.

The Raptors won for just the sixth time in 33 road games while the Thunder fell to 45-24 overall and 24-10 at home.

The Los Angeles Lakers prevailed 84-80 over Portland in a battle of sides that have been playing well.

Team USA captain Lamar Odom had 16 points, 11 rebounds and six assists for LA, the two-time defending champions, as they improved to 50-20.

Portland fell to 40-30, despite getting 25 points from France international Nicolas Batum.

The Lakers cooled off Wesley Matthews, who had been on a tear of late.

The former Marquette star missed his four shots from the floor and failed to score.

LA played without Andrew Bynum, who served the first of a two-game suspension for a flagrant foul 2 against Minnesota's Michael Beasley.

The foul came in the fourth quarter of the Lakers' 106-98 victory on Friday when Bynum's right elbow went into an air-born Beasley's chest and caused the Wolves forward to fall to the court.

New Jersey, who fear they may have to shut down Team USA playmaker Deron Williams for the rest of the season due to a wrist injury, got 18 points and 17 boards from Kris Humphries but still lost to Washington, 98-92.

Team USA's Kevin Love had to leave the Minnesota Timberwolves' game early at home to Sacramento because of a groin injury.

The Kings took advantage of his absence and won 127-95.

In other games, Detroit fell 104-96 at Atlanta, Phoenix prevailed 104-99 at the Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas rolled to a 101-73 victory at Golden State.

FIBA