By The Associated Press

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Michael Redd scored 39 points in his return to Milwaukee’s lineup, leading the Bucks to a 112-102 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats on Tuesday night.

Redd, who missed the last three games because of a sprained index finger, was 15-of-24 from the field and made four 3-pointers. He scored 14 points in the fourth quarter to break open a close game and help the Bucks snap a two-game losing streak.

Redd had a terrific spurt with under 5 minutes to play, hitting a pair of free throws, a 15-footer and scoring on a spinning layup to push Milwaukee’s lead to six at 107-101. After Charlotte held the Bucks scoreless for several possessions, he put the game out of reach with a long 3-pointer with 58 seconds to play.

How much longer the Bucks get to rely on Redd remains to be seen. He has been mentioned in trade talks, and Milwaukee could move him before Thursday’s deadline.

Pistons 97, Knicks 88

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince each scored 19 points to help the Detroit Pistons beat New York 97-88 on Tuesday night for their fifth straight victory and 10th in 11 games.

Jamal Crawford had 23 points for the Knicks, who fell to 5-20 in 2005.

The Pistons were in command throughout and pulled away with a 13-5 run to open the second half, giving them a 64-47 lead.

Antonio McDyess scored the first five points of the fourth quarter to give Detroit a 17-point lead, and the Pistons coasted the rest of the way to extend their home winning streak to a season-best seven games.

Pacers 108, Magic 84

ORLANDO, Fla. – Jermaine O’Neal scored 20 points in 22 minutes to help the Indiana Pacers rout the Orlando Magic 108-84 on Tuesday night.

Fred Jones scored 18 points, Stephen Jackson had 13, and Greg Foster added 12 points and 11 rebounds for his 13th double-double.

Jamaal Tinsley, returning from a foot injury, had 11 points and six assists. He missed all but 2 minutes of the previous eight games.

The Pacers, winners of three straight and six of eight, moved percentage points ahead of Philadelphia for the East’s final playoff berth.

For Orlando, Jameer Nelson scored 13 of his 15 points in the first half. But he was the team’s lone bright spot.

Grant Hill added 14 points, but shot 5-for-15, and Hedo Turkoglu had 13.

Raptors 100, Nets 82

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – The sight of his old team made Vince Carter look like the player the Toronto Raptors wanted to get rid of.

Carter struggled in his first game against the team that traded him to New Jersey earlier this season, missing 17 of 25 shots while being outplayed by Jalen Rose in Toronto’s 100-82 victory over the Nets on Tuesday night.

Rose shot 12-for-15, scored 30 points and did a fine defensive job on Carter, who seem to be pressing in a game that he acknowledged meant a lot to him.

Rose led the Raptors on a 14-4 run early in the fourth quarter, and New Jersey never recovered. Chris Bosh had 16 points and 12 rebounds, and Milt Palacio added 13 points for Toronto, which had six players in double figures.

Sonics 87, Rockets 85

HOUSTON – Ray Allen scored 29 points, capped by two free throws with 16.7 seconds left, to help the Seattle SuperSonics’ snap the Houston Rockets’ eight-game winning streak with an 87-85 victory Tuesday night.

Houston had a chance to tie it with 5 seconds left, but Scott Padgett’s 3-point attempt was short and Allen came up with the rebound.

Houston led throughout the game before a dunk by Allen with 38 seconds left put Seattle ahead 85-54.

Bulls 105, Heat 101, OT

CHICAGO – Ben Gordon hit five 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and overtime and scored 29 points to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 105-101 victory Tuesday night over the Miami Heat, who lost Shaquille O’Neal in the opening minutes to a knee injury.

O’Neal strained his left knee in the opening minutes after he went up for an alley-oop pass from Dwyane Wade and fell on Chicago’s Othella Harrington. O’Neal stayed on the floor for several minutes holding his knee before being helped off the floor. X-rays were negative and he will be re-evaluated before Wednesday’s game at Indiana.

Gordon continues to deliver in the clutch, hitting three 3s and scoring 11 points in the fourth quarter. He leads the NBA with 15 games scoring 10 or more points in the fourth quarter.

After Eddie Jones tied it for the Heat at the buzzer in regulation, scoring off a teammates airball, Gordon scored the first eight points in the overtime period.

His second 3-pointer in OT put the Bulls up 100-92 with 2:11 left in overtime. Wade and Eddie Jones hit back-to-back 3’s for the Heat to cut the Chicago lead to two points.

After Deng hit a pair of free throws and Gordon hit one, Damon Jones hit a 3 for Miami cutting the Chicago lead to 103-101 with 13.8 seconds left. Chris Duhon then hit one of two free throws, making it 104-101. Damon Jones had a chance to tie it for the Heat, but missed a 3 with 7 seconds left.

Wade scored 21 points, had 11 assists and six rebounds for Miami and Damon Jones added 18 points and eight rebounds, who had won seven straight prior to the game.

With the Bulls trailing 86-77, Gordon took over the game. The Bulls outscored the Heat 15-6 to end the game. Gordon had 11 of those points.

He hit a jumper to start the run, then hit a 3 to cut the Heat lead to 88-84. After Shandon Anderson hit a jumper to put the Heat up 90-86, Gordon followed with back-to-back 3’s, the second one was over the 6-foot-8 inch Udonis Haslem, giving the Bulls a 92-90 lead with 39.2 seconds left.

The Bulls had a chance to secure victory in regulation, but Damon Jones blocked Kirk Hinrich’s shot with 3.1 seconds left with the shot clock winding down. After a timeout, Damon Jones forced up a jumper, which was an airball, but Eddie Jones caught the ball and shot it in just before the buzzer sending the game in overtime tied at 92.

Eddy Curry added 16 points for Chicago and Luol Deng scored 14 points, who have won four straight and 17 of 22.

With O’Neal out and Michael Doleac in foul trouble, Miami head coach Stan Van Gundy had to go with Wang Zhi-Zhi, who has been sparingly used.

Wang scored back-to-back baskets to give the Heat a 69-62 lead late in the third quarter. He finished with six points in 20 minutes

Eddie Jones added 15 for Miami and Haslem scored 13 points. Both had nine rebounds.

Notes: Wade hit a shot from mid-court at the end of the second quarter, but it was waved off after the officials reviewed the play. … Bulls head coach Scott Skiles was issued a technical in the third quarter.

AP-ES-02-22-05 2341EST