Bucks slow Cavs, end 6-game losing skid

Mo Williams scored 29 points and the Milwaukee Bucks snapped a six-game losing streak with a 108-98 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday night.

LeBron James scored 29, Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 20 and Wally Szczerbiak 14 as Cleveland failed in its first attempt at going 11 games over .500 this season.

Michael Redd, who finished with 21 points, and Williams sparked a stretch that bridged the third and fourth quarters and gave Milwaukee a 90-76 lead with 8:24 left to play. Williams had seven points and a jumper that gave the Bucks a 14-point cushion. Redd opened the fourth with three straight jumpers.

Damon Jones made two free throws to pull Cleveland to 97-91 with 1:42 to go, but Desmond Mason sank a 14-footer to put Milwaukee ahead by eight. James hit a 3-pointer with 56 seconds to play that cut the lead to five, the closest the Cavs got before Redd sank two free throws and Williams made two to push the lead back to 107-98 with 25 seconds left.

While Cleveland has won nine straight at home, they have lost seven of the last eight on the road, including five straight.

The Bucks also snapped a five-game losing streak at home and won the season series 3-1. It was their first series victory over the Cavaliers since a 4-0 sweep during the 2002-03 season — the one before James arrived.

Andrew Bogut scored 16 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for the Bucks in his first game back at center after missing the last two games with a thigh injury.

It was the Bucks' first game since general manager Larry Harris' contract was not renewed on Wednesday. The Bucks made the playoffs twice since Harris took over in July 2003, but finished last in the Central for three straight seasons. They are currently in the cellar with 14 games to go in the regular season. Since the All-Star break, the Bucks have won just five times in 15 games.

Williams, who had 12 points and five assists in the quarter, started a 9-2 run with a layup and Bogut finished it with a dunk as Milwaukee ended the third with a 78-67 lead.

Notes:@ Cleveland's Ben Wallace did not play due to back spasms. He left Friday night's game against the Toronto Raptors in the third quarter and didn't return. He missed a game March 12 with the same problem. ... Before the game Cavaliers coach Mike Brown was asked what it was like coaching James. "We work together," Brown said. "He's not my boss. I'm not his boss." ... Bucks G Charlie Bell had to be helped to the locker room in the fourth. As James drove the lane, Bogut was knocked backward and landed on Bell, who left with a right knee sprain.

(This version CORRECTS Bucks 108, Cavaliers 98. SUBS 3rd graf to correct Redd to 21 points.)