"Our offense is not as assertive as theirs," Allen said after watching Allan Houston score a season-high 24 points and team with Latrell Sprewell to spark a first-quarter surge that led the Knicks to a 103-89 victory. "We lack aggression going in to score buckets."

The Knicks finished with 48 points in the post area while the Bucks had 24. Marcus Camby had a season-high 13 rebounds and scored 12 points for the Knicks.

New York grabbed an early 14-point lead thanks to Sprewell and Houston and was never really challenged until late in the game. All five starters scored in double figures and Glen Rice contributed 18 off the bench.

"It's a lot easier to play when you have a cushion like that," Sprewell said. "Allan pretty much carried everybody, but we had contributions from everybody. It was a good team win."

The Knicks shot 61 percent in the first quarter while putting the defensive clamps on the Bucks, limiting them to nine baskets in 21 shots.

The only bad news coming from the Knicks locker room after the game was an injury to Sprewell.

Sprewell, who had seven rebounds, said that his back tightened up with 4:24 to play. He wouldn't offer any comment about his status for Wednesday's game against Cleveland.

"Sprewell is a little bit hurt," Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "He's got back spasms. That's why he came out in the last three minutes."

Sprewell had nine of his 16 points during the Knicks' 21-8 run in the first quarter. Houston added four as the New York built a 27-13 lead with 3:35 left.

"They got easy baskets early around the lane," said Allen, who finished with 20 points but had only six in the first half.

Lindsey Hunter had a season-high 23 points, including seven 3-pointers to tie his career-high set twice before. The last time was against the Knicks on Jan. 12, 2000. Glenn Robinson added 21, but went to the bench with five first-quarter turnovers as he could not handle the pressure from Sprewell and the rest of the Knick defenders. Robinson managed only six points in the first half.

The Knicks beat the Bucks for the sixth straight time and fourth in a row at Milwaukee, but had to withstand a late charge.

The Bucks pulled to 89-79 on Sam Cassell's free throw after a technical on Marcus Camby with 7:14 to go, but Larry Johnson hit a 3-pointer and New York regained control. Johnson had 13 points and seven rebounds.

"We played very well for three quarters, and then we survived the fourth," Van Gundy said. "We did what I think a lot of teams in the NBA do, waited for the clock to run out."

The Bucks scored 26 in the final quarter to the Knicks' 23, but it wasn't enough.

Houston and Ray Allen matched up for the first time since being members of the gold-medal winning men's basketball team at the Summer Olympics, and Houston won the matchup.

Charlie Ward had 10 of his 12 points in the third as the Knicks stayed in control and led 80-63 heading into the fourth. His first of two 3-pointers in the quarter gave New York a 15-point lead it maintained for the rest of the quarter.

Tim Thomas made his first start of the season for the Bucks, replacing Darvin Ham, who injured his left foot during Saturday's game against the Detroit Pistons. He will be out 3-4 months. Thomas had 11 points.

Game Notes
Allen played in his 300th NBA game and has not missed a single one since being drafted in 1996. ... The Bucks scored first, but the Knicks countered and led after that. ... Jason Caffey played 19 minutes and continued to struggle with the Bucks offense. ... The Knicks outrebounded the Bucks 44-34.