Bogut scores 14 in second half as Bucks blast Nets

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Andrew Bogut and the Milwaukee Bucks' bench were the latest group to get the best of the New Jersey Nets.

Bogut scored 14 of his 18 points in the second half and the Bucks' bench led by Carlos Delfino, Luke Ridnour and Hakim Warrick added 53 points in a 98-76 decision over the woeful New Jersey Nets on Tuesday night.

"The bench was good," Bucks coach Scott Skiles said. "We got contributions from a lot of guys and that's how we have to win. We have to have three, four, five guys play well on any given night and basically everyone who stepped on the floor tonight contributed in some way."

Delfino, who had scored 10 points in the Bucks' last five games, tallied 17 points as the Bucks won for only the fourth time in 15 road games. Warrick added 13 points and Ridnour had 11 as the Bucks beat the Nets for the second time this season.

The game was the best in weeks for Delfino, who was 7 of 11 from the field with five rebounds, three assists and three steals. He had only scored in double figures once in the past 10 games.

"I thought Carlos played with a lot of energy," said Skiles, who did not play Delfino against Oklahoma City in their previous game. "He had active hands defensively, he got out in the open floor and he was hitting his shots. When he's active like that, he's a good enough player that things are going to happen for him."

The Bucks' easy win came in a game in which they missed their first seven shots and turned the ball over three times in falling behind 8-0.

Skiles inserted Delfino and Kurt Thomas into the lineup for Luc Mbah a Moute and Bogut and that seemed to settle Milwaukee down.

"It's a long season and the starters are not going to have it each and every night," said Thomas, who had two points and six rebounds. "We know that, and all the guys on the bench are waiting for that opportunity to go out and play well and tonight was that night."

Yi Jianlian had 22 points to lead New Jersey, which lost for the 31st time in 34 games this season. Chris Douglas-Roberts added 12 points and Brook Lopez had 11 and seven rebounds.

"There is no way to sugarcoat this," Nets coach Kiki Vandeweghe said. "We did not come out and play well tonight."

Trailing 10-4, Milwaukee eventually tied the game at 12 on a three-point play by Delfino and a jumper by Thomas.

The Bucks held the Nets scoreless for the final 4:10 of the first quarter and took a 22-16 lead with Brandon Jennings scoring four of the final six points on a fastbreak and two free throws.

New Jersey got within 30-25 early in the second quarter but Bogut and Warrick each scored four points in a 13-4 run that pushed the lead to 43-29.

Leading by nine points early in the third quarter, Bogut scored eight straight points in the paint to push the Bucks' lead to 62-45 and the Nets never got close again.

"We still have fight, we just didn't show it tonight," Nets point guard Devin Harris said. "We had a poor second half of the first quarter and then we came out in the third quarter they jumped on us and we really couldn't recover from there."

Game notes
The Bucks are 2-0 in 2010. ...Milwaukee is 10-1 when Bogut scores at least 17 points. ... Francisco Elson got and made two free throws in the final second of the first half on a late foul call that was reviewed by the officials to make sure it occurred before the buzzer. ... Nets F Jarvis Hayes (hamstring) played for the first time since the opening game of the season. ... The Nets bought out the contract of veteran guard Rafer Alston and waived him on Tuesday.