By Mike Prada

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Aug 13, 2011 – Oklahoma City Thunder center Kendrick Perkins and new Milwaukee Bucks swingman Stephen Jackson were reportedly arrested for public intoxication and disorderly conduct early Saturday morning in Perkins’ hometown of Beaumont, TX, according to a report by KDFM Channel 6. The two men were taken to Jefferson County Jail at 4 a.m., where they posted a $150 bond and were released.

The charge is not a serious one, as the maximum punishment is a fine of $500. However, what should raise some eyebrows is that Perkins was involved in an accident late Thursday night outside of Jackson’s house, and was taken to the hospital. Perkins was treated for minor injuries and was released, and a representative said he was suffering from dehydration.

Perkins was traded to the Thunder at midseason, where he helped anchor a fortified front line. Jackson was traded from the Charlotte Bobcats to the Bucks during the 2011 NBA Draft.

Read More: Kendrick Perkins (C – OKC), Stephen Jackson (F – MIL), Milwaukee Bucks, Oklahoma City Thunder

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Raptors point guard Jerryd Bayless (5) splits the defence for a layup in a 118-110 overtime loss to the Bucks on Jan. 28. (Ron Turenne/Getty Images)

Despite being 15 games below .500, the Milwaukee Bucks still have a chance to earn a playoff berth. They would be in better position to get one if they weren’t closing games so poorly of late.

Before a key matchup with the team they’re chasing for the Eastern Conference’s final post-season spot, the Bucks continue their three-game trip Wednesday night when they face the Toronto Raptors.

This road swing ends Friday against Indiana, which is three games ahead of 10th-place Milwaukee (29-44) for eighth in the East. The Bucks fell two games behind ninth-place Charlotte with an 87-86 loss to the Bobcats on Monday.

That defeat resulted from another late meltdown. After giving up the final 12 points in Saturday’s 95-87 home loss to Chicago, the Bucks did not have a field goal in the final 5:10 on Monday and went scoreless in the last 3:52.

“It was a must-win game and we came up short,” said Brandon Jennings, who finished with 26 points but missed 10 of 12 shots in the fourth.

“We had chances to do it and I take it on myself that I should have came up down the stretch and made big plays. But I didn’t.”

Milwaukee has led in the fourth quarter of each of its last four losses.

While the Bucks have shot below 40 per cent from the field in their last two games and are last in the league at 42.7, they have shot 50.6 per cent in two meetings with the Raptors this season and won both.

Toronto (20-53) is among the NBA’s worst teams defensively, allowing 105.6 points per game on 48.3 per cent shooting.

Milwaukee had its highest-scoring game of the season in its only trip to Toronto, winning 116-110 in overtime Jan. 28.

The Raptors return home following a 1-4 trip that ended with Saturday’s 94-90 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. Toronto, which fell behind by 40 points in defeats to Denver and Golden State during the western swing, dropped its fourth straight Saturday after leading by 10 with 8:27 left.

“We’re not moving the ball that well,” Raptors head coach Jay Triano said. “Teams are going to play zone against us, so the ball has to go inside and side-to-side.

“We’re a team that sometimes holds the ball. And when you do that, the zone can match up.”

Toronto could find it even more difficult to create offence if leading scorer Andrea Bargnani sits a second straight game with a sore right ankle.

Rookie Ed Davis, though, has shown steady improvement since missing the first 17 games of the season following knee surgery. He posted his second consecutive double-double Saturday with a career-best 21 points and 11 rebounds.

“I’m still fresh because I missed training camp,” Davis told the Raptors’ official website. “It’s only my 56th game.”

Davis could see plenty of time against Bucks centre Andrew Bogut, averaging 22.7 points and 13.0 boards in his last three road games. He had 24 points in the Jan. 28 victory in Toronto.

Milwaukee has won six of eight versus the Raptors and now looks to win three straight in the series for the first time since the 2003-04 season.

The Boston Celtics haven’t had any prolonged slumps, so the prospect of losing a third consecutive game has to be a bit foreign to the defending Eastern Conference champions.

With the way they’ve played most of the season, the thought of a fourth straight win has to be surreal for the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Celtics will try to avoid their longest slide in nearly a year Sunday as they host the Bucks, who have blown out their last three opponents to get back in the playoff race.

Boston (46-17) won its first five games with recently acquired Jeff Green(notes) and Nenad Krstic(notes), including 89-83 at Milwaukee last Sunday.

The Celtics came out flat Wednesday against the visiting Los Angeles Clippers and lost 108-103, then couldn’t recover Friday at Philadelphia. Boston shot 41.8 percent and got just 16 combined points from Paul Pierce(notes) and Ray Allen(notes) – 20 below their average – in an 89-86 defeat.

“We were dead tired, dead out of it, it looked like,” coach Doc Rivers said.

That 76ers certainly had that look Saturday in Milwaukee. Fresh off a 19-point win at Washington and a 20-point victory over Cleveland, the Bucks (26-38) shot 52.6 percent and cruised 102-74.

Milwaukee, which averages 91.7 points and shoots 42.7 percent – both NBA lows—has averaged 102.3 points and shot 50.4 percent while tying its longest winning streak of the season.

“Our defense has always been kind of stable. On the offensive end, we’re moving the ball better, guys are shooting their shots with more confidence,” said Luc Richard Mbah a Moute(notes), who had 14 points, 12 rebounds and five steals. “We need to play that way for the rest of the season if we want to make the playoffs.”

Beating the Celtics could put the Bucks in playoff position. Tenth in the East heading into the day, Milwaukee is just one half-game behind Indiana and Charlotte – both of which play on the road Sunday.

“It’s pretty ridiculous, isn’t it?” center Andrew Bogut(notes) said.

There are plenty of reasons to doubt the Bucks can pull out a win at the TD Garden, though. Boston hasn’t lost three straight since March 28-April 2, 2010, and it’s responded to its four two-game skids this season with winning streaks of 14, four, four and three.

Milwaukee, meanwhile, has gone into a tailspin after its previous three-game winning streaks. The Bucks have followed with slides of five, three and four games.

They’ll at least be healthier than they were a week ago against Boston. Bogut missed that game with a muscle strain in his ribcage, while Corey Maggette(notes) should be available after sitting out two games with a knee injury.

Maggette was active Saturday, but coach Scott Skiles didn’t play him.

Bogut’s presence could be key. He’s averaged 22.8 points and 13.3 rebounds in his last four games against the Celtics.

Bogut will likely see an additional big body he’ll have to deal with underneath the basket, however. Boston expects to have Glen Davis(notes) back after its burly forward has missed the last four games with patellar tendinitis.

The Celtics could use him, considering they fell into a tie for the East’s top spot Saturday after Chicago won its sixth straight game.

Rivers, though, is prone to playing it cautious with his aging team’s injured players. Delonte West(notes), Shaquille O’Neal(notes) and Jermaine O’Neal(notes) are all being cautious in their recoveries.

“We want the one seed, but we want health, too,” Rivers said.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Luol Deng scored 19 points, Derrick Rose had 17 and the surging Chicago Bulls beat the Milwaukee Bucks 83-75 on Saturday night.

Chicago has won six of seven to improve to 15-4 since Jan. 14, putting pressure on Boston and Miami at the top of the Eastern Conference. Joakim Noah had eight points and 17 rebounds for the Bulls, who beat the Heat 93-89 on Thursday night.

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute scored a second-high 16 points and John Salmons added 14 points for the Bucks.

Milwaukee Bucks guard Brandon Jennings made his return to the lineup Saturday after missing 19 games with a fractured foot.

Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) – Milwaukee Bucks guard Brandon Jennings made his return to the lineup Saturday after missing 19 games with a fractured foot.

Jennings has not played since undergoing surgery on December 20 to repair a break to the fifth metatarsal in his left foot. He suffered the injury in the Bucks’ 95-86 loss to the Utah Jazz on December 18.

Jennings came off the bench in Saturday’s contest, the first time the second- year guard has played as a reserve in his career.

Jennings, 21, is averaging a team-best 17.9 points per game and had started 114 consecutive games, including postseason, prior to the setback.

© 2011 The Sports Network