PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 14 (UPI) -- Glenn Robinson matched a season-high with 34 points and Sam Cassell added 29 Friday night as the Milwaukeee Bucks defeated the Philadelphia 76ers, 96-80, in the first meeting between the teams since last season's Eastern Conference finals.
Philadelphia beat Milwaukee in a seven-game series before losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in five games in the NBA Finals, but the Sixers have been plagued by injuries all season and have looked like anything but champions of late.
Philadelphia suffered its seventh straight loss, matching its longest slide since Jan. 24-Feb. 4, 1998. The Sixers have dropped nine of their last 10 to fall six games under .500 (8-14).
Milwaukee's Ray Allen left with 5:22 remaining in the third quarter with tendinitis in his left knee and did not return. But the Bucks were able to extend the lead in the fourth quarter without the other member of their "Big Three."
Cassell's 3-pointer capped a 9-0 run that gave Milwaukee an 82-67 lead with 7:13 remaining. The Bucks led by as many as 18 in the final minute.
Philadelphia was held to 37 points in the second half and heard boos from the fans at the First Union Center.
Allen Iverson was not much of a factor for the Sixers, scoring just five of his 17 points in the second half. Iverson poured in 44 in Philadelphia's 108-91 Game Seven victory over the Bucks last spring.
