NEW YORK (AP) -- The Knicks wanted to get a win for Larry Brown.

The Bucks knew they couldn't let that happen.

One night after watching their coach leave the arena on a

stretcher, New York's players were thinking about more than the

game in their 97-80 loss to Milwaukee on Friday night.

"Basketball is not life, it's a job," forward Maurice Taylor

said. "It puts everything in perspective when you see something

like that."

Michael Redd scored 18 of his 23 points in the first half, then

Milwaukee blew open the game in the third quarter. In a tight

playoff race in the Eastern Conference, the Bucks don't have room

to lose any focus.

"We knew we had to come out here and take care of business,"

Bucks guard T.J. Ford said. "We knew the situation tonight with

the Knicks. They have a lot of talent, they are a lot better than

what their record shows. I'm glad we were just able to come out and

be aggressive. We were able to put the game out of reach in the

third quarter."

Brown missed his first game of the season after he was

hospitalized in Cleveland on Thursday night with a stomach ailment.

He returned to New York on Friday, but assistant coach Herb

Williams led the team.

"It would have been nice to get this win for both him and for

Herb," Knicks center Eddy Curry said. "But for whatever reason we

just didn't have it tonight -- like a lot of other nights."

Ford had 14 points and 10 assists for the Bucks, who are tied

with Indiana and Washington for fifth place in the East. Bobby

Simmons had 15 points and 11 rebounds.

Milwaukee led by 33 points in the fourth quarter and snapped a

six-game road losing streak. Joe Smith scored 11 points and Andrew

Bogut contributed 10.

Taylor scored 22 points for New York, which had 17 turnovers

that led to 28 points and lost its third straight. Curry had 13

points, but Jamal Crawford, the reigning Eastern Conference player

of the week, had only six on 2-for-12 shooting.

Brown became ill during the third quarter of the Knicks' 91-87

loss to the Cavaliers. It is not known if the 65-year-old coach,

who was also hospitalized in February, will coach in New York's

final three games.

"Basketball is a minute part of his life," Knicks guard Steve

Francis said. "Now is a crucial time. Hopefully he will be

healthy."

The Bucks led by eight points at halftime, then shot 70 percent

(14-of-20) and outscored the Knicks 32-14 in the third quarter.

Ford got the Bucks off to a quick start, converting a three-point

play and then a jump shot to give the Bucks a 56-43 lead.

Redd had his only points of the second half at the end of a 16-3

burst to open the quarter. He made a 3-pointer, then came up with a

steal and dunk to make it 67-46 with 6:27 left in the period.

"I was really proud of the way we came out both halves," Bucks

coach Terry Stotts said. "Offensively we were good, but I think

what we did at the defensive end contributed to our offense. T.J.

did a good job pushing."

The lead grew to 83-57 at the end of the quarter. The Knicks

were only 5-of-15 (33 percent) and committed nine turnovers in the

period.

"We did a pretty good job in the first half," Williams said.

"But then in the third quarter we came out and had no energy. We

didn't move the ball and we turned it over too much. We fell back

into what we were doing before."

Redd scored 12 points in the first quarter, when Milwaukee led

by as many as 14 points. He was 7-of-11 for 18 points in the first

half, which ended with the Bucks ahead 51-43.Game notes
The Bucks evened the all-time series at 83 wins. ...

Florida coach Billy Donovan was at the game. The coach of the

national champion Gators played one season for the Knicks under

Rick Pitino. ... Ime Udoka, who last week became the Knicks' first

call-up from the D-League, made his first field goal of the season

with a tip-in late in the first half. He finished with eight

points.