MILWAUKEE, May 20 -- Led by Glenn Robinson, Ray Allen and Sam Cassell, the Milwaukee Bucks advanced to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 15 years Sunday with a 104-95 victory over the Charlotte Hornets.
Robinson, Allen and Cassell combined for 159 points over the final two games as Milwaukee rallied from a 3-2 deficit to oust the pesky sixth-seeded Hornets, who could not overcome a long dry spell in the third quarter.
Robinson scored 29 points Sunday, Allen had 28 and Cassell 17 to go with 13 assists. The three players were at their best in the fourth quarter, when they combined for all but four of Milwaukee's 31 points to repeatedly repel rallies by Charlotte.
"It means a lot," said Robinson, who has been with the Bucks since 1994. "When I first came here, we were not a playoff team. Now we're not only in the playoffs, we're winning, and there's nothing like winning this time of the year."
"I look back now and see what we've accomplished and it's amazing," Allen added. "We've taken it to another level."
The second-seeded Bucks are in the conference finals for the first time since 1986, when the "Big Three" were Terry Cummings, Sidney Moncrief and Ricky Pierce. They will meet the top-seeded Philadelphia 76ers in the conference finals with the opening game scheduled for Tuesday night.
Jamal Mashburn scored 21 points for the Hornets, who were playing the first Game 7 in club history. Mashburn's hot shooting in the middle three games gave Charlotte the series lead, but he was unable to solve the double-teams over the last two games.
"This is a growing experience for my young guys and I think they'll benefit," said Charlotte coach Paul Silas. "But I told them before the game, when you get here, you need to take advantage. They did and we didn't."
Baron Davis led Charlotte with 29 points. But he was part of a drought that saw a seven-point lead turn into a 70-61 deficit in the third quarter.
The Hornets hurt themselves by making just 17 of 28 free throws. The Bucks made 33 of 35, including their last 27. In the final two games, Milwaukee was 32 of 32 from the line in the fourth quarter.
"In the third quarter, when we missed all those free throws, that would have helped keep us in the game," Silas said.
Davis' steal and layup gave Charlotte a 58-51 lead with 8:10 to go in the third quarter. Over the next seven-plus minutes, the Hornets missed six of seven shots, five of six free throws and committed two turnovers.
"The third-quarter run was the key," Allen said. "We really came out focused and established ourselves and took control."
"It really put us behind," Hornets center Elden Campbell said. "I don't remember anything outstanding that they did defensively. But you can't go through stretches like that against such an explosive team, or they'll hurt you."
A three-pointer by Lindsey Hunter -- who had been cold in the entire series -- gave the Bucks a 70-61 lead. Davis answered with a three-pointer, but Robinson threw in a running three-pointer at the horn, setting the stage for the final period.
"The big play of the game was when'Big Dog' made that three at the end of the third," Silas said. "That really hurt us."
Robinson made 10 of 17 shots and scored nine points in the last four-plus minutes. His baseline turnaround jumper made it 87-79 and he curled around a pick for a 13-footer and a 91-81 bulge with 3:06 remaining.
"Early on in the series, they doubled me whenever I touched the ball," Robinson said. "When I started missing shots, they started to slack off and then I got better looks."
After Mashburn made one of two from the line, Robinson's three-pointer pushed the lead to 94-82 with 2 1/2 minutes left and forced the Hornets to scramble the rest of the way. Milwaukee made all 10 free throws in the final 90 seconds to offset three three-pointers by Davis.
Allen made 10 of 18 shots and scored 10 points in the fourth quarter. Cassell was just four of 12 as he again battled bruised ribs that forced him to take oxygen during breaks.
Scott Williams had 13 points and eight boards and Ervin Johnson swept 11 rebounds for the Bucks, who shot 47 percent and held a 42-37 edge on the glass.
"Ray and Glenn came up big tonight, but I really think Ervin was the MVP of the series, doing all the dirty work underneath," Milwaukee coach George Karl said.
