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Redd's 42 points help Bucks overcome Nuggets

Feb 24, 2008 - 5:26 AM By Dave Cotey PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

MILWAUKEE (Ticker) - Michael Redd scored a season-best 42 points as the Milwaukee Bucks erased a 23-point first-half deficit to shock the Denver Nuggets, 115-109, at home Saturday.

Mo Williams netted 26 points and Andrew Bogut added 12 and 20 rebounds for Milwaukee, which had lost three straight to Denver overall and four straight against the Nuggets at home.

Charlie Bell's 3-pointer with 3:34 remaining capped a furious comeback for the Bucks and gave them a 100-99 lead.

"We got down big and it was almost to the point of here we go again," Bell said. "You could sense the crowd really starting to get on us. But we hung in there together. ... The comeback against Denver, a team with a lot of offensive firepower - we really slowed them down in the second half and showed how good this team could be."

Denver All-Star Carmelo Anthony made two free throws with 1:45, but Charlie Villanueva hit a pair just seconds later to maintain Milwaukee's three-point advantage.

Anthony struck again, converting a three-point play with 1:19 remaining to tie the score, 104-104. But Redd hit a pair of free throws six seconds later and Villanueva stripped Anthony, leading to two more free throws by Redd.

"My teammates were great," Redd said. "They picked it up big time, and that's why we got the win. We're learning. We just have to stay humble and keep doing what we did."

The Bucks finished the game by hitting 7-of-8 free throws to seal the victory and complete their impressive come-from-behind performance.

"We're not playing 48 minutes on the road," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "We're playing good basketball for stretches, but defensively, we're giving up way too many points."

Allen Iverson scored 26 points, Anthony chipped in 25 and Kenyon Martin collected 15 and 14 rebounds for the Nuggets, who have dropped three of their last four games.

"They had a better half than we did," Iverson said. "They played better. We couldn't stop them defensively and we couldn't get anything going offensively. It's frustrating because this was a game we should have won."

Denver went on a 16-0 run in the first quarter and built a comfortable 64-50 advantage at intermission until the Bucks came to life.

"We haven't had Denver's number the last couple of years," Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak said. "They have some good players and we stood around and watched them. ... We had no desire, but then we made some plays at the end of the first half and in the third quarter."