- (Sports Network) - Shaquille O'Neal had 29 points, hauled in 11 rebounds and doled out four assists to lead the Phoenix Suns past the Milwaukee Bucks, 104-96, at the Bradley Center. Amare Stoudemire poured in 24 points for the Suns, who have won four of their last five games. Steve Nash chipped in 16 points and seven helpers, while Grant Hill had 13 points and 11 boards.

"When I get a lot of attempts I'm just going to keep shooting," O'Neal said. "Guys are looking for me. Coach kept calling my name. We were just trying to make them double-team and they weren't doubling. If they did I was just trying to kick it out to my teammates."

Ramon Sessions had 23 points and six assists for the Bucks, who have lost two straight. Charlie Bell had 16 points, while Richard Jefferson and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute ended with 14 points apiece. Andrew Bogut had 11 rebounds in defeat.

"This was just one of those games where we just never could get over the hump," Milwaukee head coach Scott Skiles said. "We were kind of slow-footed most of the night and had a hard time finding five guys that worked well together."

The Suns scorched the Bucks to the tune of a 29-19 lead after the first quarter. The Bucks found themselves still down 10, 52-42, heading into the intermission.

Phoenix led by as many as 14 early in the third quarter.

However, later on in the frame, down 13, a Bogut layup and four points by Bell made it a 65-58 with just over six minutes left in the third.

Milwaukee was outscored 10-5 over the next 4:25 to fall behind by 12. The Bucks eventually headed to the final frame down 76-67 following a pair of free throws from Sessions.

The Bucks used an 11-4 run to open the fourth quarter, and the team was within 80-78 with 8:53 left in regulation. Sessions had five points on the burst, Mbah a Moute had four and Joe Alexander closed it out with a pair from the line.

A jumper from Alexander brought Milwaukee within 81-80 midway through the fourth, but O'Neal countered with a bucket and Leandro Barbosa drained a three to make it a six-point differential.

Sessions then added a bucket for the Bucks, but O'Neal tallied four straight points, Stoudemire went 2-for-2 from the stripe and O'Neal gave one more from the line to make it 93-82 with just over three minutes showing on the clock.

Game Notes

The Bucks took 25 more shots than the Suns...Phoenix was just 6-of-20 from behind the arc...Milwaukee guard Michael Redd, who suffered a sprained ankle in Sunday's game against the Knicks, did not play in Wednesday's win over Washington and missed Saturday's tilt...Phoenix has won five straight, nine of 10 and 31 of the last 35 encounters. The Suns have won three in a row at the Bradley Center.





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